Hidden Danger
by Starciya
Summary: Prince Terry has been called home, but he finds that not everything is alright at home. What role does he play? Can he overthrow his father and still protect those he loves? Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

This chapter is a little slow but the story speeds up in the next few. Please tell me what you think. ~Star

Chapter One

Prince Terry walked down the empty halls wondering if the halls had always been this barren. He tried to think back to when he had last been in the royal castle. It had been over ten years since his mother's death and his father had sent him to live with his aunt in the next country over. He wasn't quite sure what to think of his father. Terry had been seven when he was sent away, he didn't have many memories of The King before then and he had only been written to twice. Once to tell him to work hard and the next one to call him back home.

All the way back he heard whispers of his father and how he started to act crazy after he sent the prince away. But that is all he heard before his escorts would shove their way into the crowd and demand everyone to be quiet. Now that he was back in the palace he wasn't sure what to believe, everyone he had met so far was wary of him and would barely talk to him and he had only seen his father once and that was for his official greeting back. Other than that he was left completely alone, well except for his shadow escorts that never left him. He walked into the big throne room and was surprised to see it full of people. His father was sitting regally on his throne looking sharply out on everybody, on his left was his councilor, Lord Pos, on his right was the court's ice queen, Lady Cassandra. The two facts that he picked up as soon as he returned was Lord Pos was an oily snake and to be watched, and Lady Cassandra was his father's most trusted person and was to be carefully avoided. In spite of this, he let his gaze linger on her, she was beautiful, in a cold sort-of way, Her pale green dress accented her sharp eyes.

Terry forced himself to look over at his father and saw King Markl looking at him. He did a full court bow to his father and when he had straightened up, his father's gaze had moved on. He looked around the room where he saw groups of people all arranged so everyone could see the King. Terry wondered again what his father had done to cause such caution, because even though there was laughter and smiling coming from everyone in the room they were all watching each movement of The King.

As Terry debuted about whether to try and join a group, he saw movement come from behind him at the doorway. He turned to see a full guard leading two men in. He couldn't help but make a face at how many men were there for just two men. He turned to look up at his father. King Markl was glowering at the two men. When they came to a stop, King Markl said, "These are the men who have been disrupting my tax trains? They don't look like they could steal honey from a bee."

The crowd strained a laugh at the ill-made joke. The King smiled as he went on, "You two have caused trouble for far too long, you both will be sentenced to die tomorrow morning by hanging." After he made that statement, Lady Cassandra leaned over and whispered in his ear, he smirked at her and then said to the room. "On second thought, I have a better punishment for those who dare to challenge me. You will be drowned in the lake just like we do to those found practicing dark magic." He grinned at the men's faces of horror as they were taken back out of the room by the guard.

Terry was puzzled, death by drowning? He thought. Why did his father do that? Wasn't there better way to kill someone than that? He looked around and saw that everyone was trying to hide the tension they were feeling. He needed to find someone who would talk to him and tell him what was going on.

Finding someone to talk with him was harder than he thought, every time he joined a group, the group would go silent, and then start asking about the weather for his trip back to the palace. He just wandered from group to group hoping someone would talk to him. He finally came up to a group that actually greeted him and didn't act surprised when he asked to join their group. A man with dark brown hair held out his hand and with mischief in his brown eyes said, "I don't hear from you in ten years and now you don't even greet an old friend?"

Terry gave him a longer look and smiled, "Sammy?! Is that really you?"

His friend smiled and said, "No one calls me Sammy anymore, it is either Sam or Lord Cont. It is good to see you well."

Terry smiled and listened to Sam introduce him to those in the circle. They had just finished introduction when they all came to attention to the King. Terry almost had forgotten that his father was still in the room, he came to attention a split second after everyone else. They all watched as King Markl and Lady Cassandra walked out of the room.

He looked back at his companions and noticed that they had all tensed up again. He was just about to ask Sam what was going on when Sam flicked a look at his escorts, then at him and shook his head. Terry nodded and thought again how he was going to get rid of his escorts.

After a week and not ever being able to be alone without his escorts his father all of the sudden assigned them somewhere else. Terry was confused, but didn't ask any questions. The first thing he did is go up to Sam and ask him to tell him what happened during the ten years while he was gone.

Sam said simply, "It is Lord Pos. He came just after you were sent away and told the King of a prophecy that his throne would be taken away from him. King Markl became steadily more paranoid about who was going to take his throne. He now sees everyone as an enemy except those in his inner circle. All he cares about now is how powerful he is and that no one takes that away." Sam sat down on a chair and looked up at him, "There is a group of thieves who has been terrorizing anything that has the crown symbol on it. Tax trains, supply trains, guards, whatever they can get their hands on, and the King has not been responding to their actions very well. Do you remember those two men he had drowned? They were part of that group. I am worried that the King will tear apart this country looking for this group. The people aren't very happy with him and the more he does the more join this group."

Terry looked at him and asked, "Why is this group doing is? Do they have a name by the way?"

Sam smiled sadly, "Their name is Shadow Archers. As for why they are doing this, last year the village Tumel was wiped out because your father thought that they were conspiring against him."

Terry looked aghast, "Were they?"

"No, they weren't. The year before that a whole settlements crop was burned as punishment, I don't know why they were being punished. He has raises taxes at least once a month. The list goes on, these men have plenty of reasons for what they are doing." Sam said solemnly.

"Is there anything we can do?" Terry asked.

Sam shook his head, "Most of us that are here in court are here as prisoners in case our fathers decide to do anything, or if we try to do anything, they will go out and kill our families. So most everybody here just watches their steps very carefully."

Terry looked at him not knowing what to say, "…… When I … When I arrived here a week ago, I know something was going on but I didn't realize how big it was. How could this happen? "

Sam shrugged, "We have been living in it for over five years now, I guess we don't think about that, but it is here and we have to deal with it."

Before Terry could say anything a servant came to the door and said, "Your Highness, you need to come and get ready for the dance." Terry nodded and numbly followed the servant back to his rooms.

Several hours later, Terry still found his thoughts numbed and slow moving, except he was trying to handle the dance at the same time as well. What should he do? He finally decided to push it from his mind and focus on the dance in front of him. The young lady who he was dancing with had a polite court mask on and was dancing perfectly with him. He finished the dance, only to have Lady Cassandra come up to him and order him to dance.

He nodded and carefully put his hands in the correct places and started with the music. He spent the dance looking elsewhere, his thoughts were interrupted by her asking stiffly, "How do you like being back Home, My Prince."

He looked at her quickly and saw her light green eyes looked shrewdly at him, "It is taking some getting used to, I have been away for so long." He replied.

She slightly nodded her head, and was quiet for the rest of the dance.

The rest of the night passed quickly enough, so did the next two months. Terry found himself on the sidelines watching what was going on. He had no clue what to do to help or even if he did want to help. He would be going up against his father if he did, Terry still had some respect for the man, although that puzzled him. Why should he respect a man who was tearing apart his own country just for power? He watched as the Shadow Archers stole again again from his father and how his father would burn this field or put more guards up in retaliation.

Terry had been back for a two and a half months when he was called for a conference for his father. It would be the third time he has talked with his father since he returned. He stepped into the room and saw that only his father was in the room. King Markl was sitting in a chair and told him to come in and sit down.

Terry sat down and looked into his father's dark blue eyes, the same eyes that he had. It was one of the features that marked them as father and son.

"My boy, I have an assignment for you." The King started.

"What is it?" Terry cautiously asked.

"I want you to go with a shipment of supplies to help guard it." Was the answer.

"Why do you need me to help guard it? You have all those guards." Terry asked.

"BECAUSE THEY ARE IDIOTS!!" King Markl leapt to his feet and yelled. He looked very angry.

Terry immediately said, "I am sorry I asked, I spoke without thinking."

King Markl looked down at him and narrowed his eyes, "The shipment leaves tomorrow, I expect you to be ready to go. You may leave now."

Terry looked shocked at his father and realized that whatever respect he had been clinging to was now gone. He nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak, got up and left the room.

* * *

Author's note- tell me what you think, there will be more action in the next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Despite what he felt now for his father, Terry found himself ready to go with the shipment of supplies the next day. They had only ridden for half a day when he heard from the back of the wagons a yell of attack come up.

Terry hesitated as everybody else pulled their weapons out. A shout from the guard in front of him pulled his attention forward to a group of men standing in the road all holding weapons. Did he really want to hurt these men who were fighting against his father? What was the point of all of this? The guards to the side of him were already fighting the rogues, His thoughts still flashed in front of him. If he didn't fight, he was practically declaring himself an enemy to his father and he wasn't quite sure he wanted the wrath of his father on him quite yet.

He finally raised his hand to draw his sword when out of the corner of his eye he saw a whirl of movement coming toward him, he tried to duck but he felt something crash into the back of his head. At this point he saw flashes of white popping before everything went black.

The first thing he was aware of after that was his head pounding and the second thing was that his hands were tied behind him. Even though his eyes were open he couldn't see, Terry was about to try and sit up when he heard footsteps then a female voice yell, "YOU DID WHAT?!"

"We kidnapped that Prince, My Lady." A male voice replied.

"Why?" The Lady's voice demanded.

"Well, he was there acting like an idiot, so we thought he might make a good bargaining chip for you."

There was a long pause, "I don't know what do about him, John. I can't imagine The King bargaining for him, even if he is his son. I need to get back, I'll think about it and take care of it later. Make sure nobody mentions my name around him. If we do let him go, I don't want him telling anybody." Said the Lady's voice again.

Terry heard the footsteps fade, he listened for a while and then wiggled and struggled to sit up. He had just gotten comfortable up against a wall, which he noted was made out of wood, when the door opened and temporarily blinded him with the flood of sunlight from outside. When he could open his watering eyes he saw two men standing in the doorway.

"Well, the weakling is awake." The one to the left said.

"I must not have hit him hard enough, then." His companion on the right answered.

He managed to get out, "Where am I?"

The first speaker said, "It doesn't matter to you right now, what matters is that you tell us where the supplies are. There were not in the wagons you were with."

"What? Yes, they were." Terry proclaimed.

"No, the wagons we stole was full of useless wood. Where are the supplies?" The second speaker said.

Terry shook his head, "I don't know, I thought the wagons had supplies in them."

The man on the left kicked him in the side and growled, "Where are the supplies?"

Terry choked out, "I don't know, I thought they were in the wagons."

He pulled back his leg to kick again when his companion stopped him, "The Lady wouldn't like this, come this isn't doing us any good."

The door closed and he was left in darkness trying to catch his breath. "Shades, that kick hurt." He muttered when he was breathing somewhat normally again. He leaned back against the wall and tried to ignore his hurting side by trying and guessing who the Lady was. By the respect he heard in everybody else's voices she must be an actually Lady. Which meant not everybody he saw at court was too scared to try anything.

He must have dozed off while he was thinking about what to do because next thing he knew he heard a great commotion outside, he couldn't pick out what people were saying but he could tell that they were upset. Then he heard arguing begin and as the voices began to get louder, his door bust open and two men came in and each grabbed an arm and forced him to stand and walk. He blinked his eyes trying to make the adjustment from pitch black to the dim sunlight of dusk. As he looked around he could see a crude camp and that they were heading toward the center where it looked like everybody in the camp was gathered. They made an aisle for him and his two guards to go through. They stopped just before the campfire. He could see a large man pacing on the other side of the fire. He looked up and saw that they were there and walked over to them.

"Why didn't you draw your sword, where we were attacking the wagons?" He said in a familiar voice.

Terry was taken back by the question, he hadn't been expecting that question. "um…. I was trying to decide whether to fight you or not. I really didn't have a reason to protect my father's supplies, but I am not sure I want to join your fight." He finally said.

The man looked at him considering for a long moment, before saying, "I am about to give you a choice, stay here and join our fight or go back and be killed."

"What do you mean '_be killed'_?" Terry warily asked. He felt his guards tighten their grips on his bound arms.

"Our leader has been captured and a reliable source has told me that if we try to exchange our leader for you that _Your Father_ will have both of you killed in the exchange."

Terry felt his stomach flip, "How do you know this?"

A lady that Terry recognized as one of the servants of the castle stepped forward, "I heard him say it myself when he captured her."

Terry closed his eyes and thought about what they said, was it true? Would his own father kill him? In a way it made sense, his father didn't want to give up the throne to anyone, not even to him. There was just a part of him that wished it wasn't true. He heard someone say, "What is he doing?"

The large man said kindly, "He is thinking, it is not every day you hear that your father wants you dead."

One part of his mind finally remembered why his voice sounded familiar it was John, the one he had heard with the Lady earlier. He pushed that aside that try to focus, why had his father sent him on this trip to help protect the supplies when they were not even with him, unless he knew that it was a trap, and sent him purposely into it to die.

Terry opened his eyes and looked over at John and said, "Why then do you want me to join you? My father wants me dead, you think that would be a risk."

John laughed, "Look at us, as long as you are willing to help us, we aren't that picky on what risks you have."

Terry narrowed his eyes and asked, "Who is your leader?"

John looked around at all the faces intently watching the two of them and smiled, "Let us go somewhere a little more comfortable." He came over to him and told his guards, "I will watch him for now, you go and do…..something else."

"But….But….." One of them stammered.

"I can surely take care of him, you are relieved. Go." John repeated.

They let go of his arms and left him there with John. John draped an arm over his shoulder and led him over to a little hut which they went inside.

John took out a knife and freed his hands and said, "Sit down we need to talk further."

* * *

Author's note- So who is the Lady?? We will have to find out. Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Terry asked again, "Who is your leader? From what I can tell she is an actual Lady of the Court. Who is she?"

John sat down on a chair and looked away thinking for a moment before answering, "I don't think I am going to answer that quite yet. But I will tell you what we are doing here." John looked back up at Terry and went on, "You may not be aware of this but your father is slowly killing this country. He is using blackmail to keep the nobles from revolting and sheer force to keep the commoners at bay. Our camp is trying to even out that scale a bit. But with Our Lady captured, we lose our leader. Many of our followers will lose heart but if we say we have the Prince with us, I think we can keep that faith." John sighed and said, "Look at me I have made a speech. We need your support to keep this camp and our cause alive. At least until we free The Lady."

Terry looked at John warily, not quite sure what to make of what he just said. "You want me to be your leader? Is that what you are asking me?"

John made a face and answered, "Not really, but I would like you to be a figure head."

"A figurehead? Somebody who is there just to look good? I don't think I could do that." Terry remarked, "I need to think about this, this is a bunch to take in all at once."

"I can understand that, I will give you the day to think. In the meantime you can wander around the camp but don't try to leave because you won't be allowed too." John said smiling.

Terry nodded his head, he knew that wherever he went today he would have eyes on him. John left the tent and left Terry sitting there not quite sure what to think of certain events. He leaned back and thought over the events of the last day and a half, starting with his discussion for his father. He was pretty sure that his father didn't want to give him the throne. And might have set this trap so he did get captured by these thieves, if not only for the excuse to go after the thieves. Then when they try to exchange him for this Lady of theirs, the King would have both of them killed, essentially killing two birds with one stone. It made for a great story, it could be all made up or it could be the truth.

He quickly stood up, and headed for the door thinking a short walk might clear his mind. He stayed to the edges as he slowly walked around taking in the sights of this camp. He saw little children chasing each other in a game, women preparing dinner, while others lit the fires, and some were standing around talking and looking worried. He had come to a stand-still, watching as these people did their tasks, smiling, shouting, laughing, or with worried looks. He stood there for a few moments when two men came up to him, remarking, "Oh, look the Prince is standing by himself, I wonder why?"

The other spoke, "I hope you aren't thinking about escaping, My Prince. That would be most unwise."

Terry looked over at them with a calm face, "No, I was just watching the people of your camp working at their tasks."

They both scowled at him, almost as if they wanted him to try and escape. Terry tried to think of something to say to help release some tension when the first man said, "Come with us to the archery range, and shoot with us." The invitation almost sounded friendly to Terry, who found his shoulders draped with the fellows arm as he led him over to the archery range.

Terry smiled and calmly asked, "I don't believe I caught your names, may I ask what they are?"

The fellow who had his arm draped across Terry's shoulders answered, "My name is Finn, and my companion is Jim. I tell you something about my friend Jim here." Finn said as they approached the range. "Jim, is the best archer we have. It is getting dark right now and Jim can still hit that target over there." Finn finished with his voice full of pride as he pointed to a target that was getting hard to see in the fading light.

Jim who had left for a moment came back with a quiver of arrows and two bows. "We heard that you were often seen in the Archery range at the castle. Care to show us some of your skill?" Even though Jim's voice was polite, Terry got a sense that Jim didn't expect him to be able to get close to the targets.

Terry's pride stung, he motioned for the bow and quiver. With practiced motion he slung the quiver over his shoulder, drew one and put it to the bow. Drawing it, taking a quick aim he let loose at the fading target. As soon as the arrow had left his bow, he drew another and shot it just as quick. He kept it up until the quiver was empty and he had shot at all the targets he could see.

Letting the bow drop as the last arrow made it to the target, Terry spared a look at the two standing next to him, they had looks of unbelief on their faces, he laughed and commented, "What do you expect? You said yourself that I was often seen at the Archery Range." He handed the bow to Finn and started to walk toward the targets to retrieve the arrow. The more arrows they pulled out the friendlier they got, by the time they put away the arrows and bows, they were talking and laughing like old friends.

Finn put his hand on Terry's shoulder and apologized, "I am sorry that we were rude to you earlier, but we thought that you were just another weakling that couldn't do anything. But you shoot just as well as us common folk." He finished with a huge grin and Terry returned. "Come let's get to Red Sal's before she runs out of grub."

"Who is Red Sal?" Terry asked.

It was Jim's turn to smile, "Only the best cook in camp, I don't know how she does it. Even my Mama couldn't out cook Red Sal. So come on, we don't want to be late or the food will be all gone." Jim finished as he lengthened out his stride and started to pull ahead.

They were right about one thing and that was Red Sal was a good cook, it was worth the wait of the large line that had formed by the time they had gotten there. Terry noticed that as they waited in line, and then sat down around the campfire to eat it, that everybody was watching him carefully. He didn't quite know what to make of it. Were they watching him because they thought that he would try and run away or were they watching him for some other reason? This scrutiny had not gone past his two new friends, because at one point, Finn had leaned over and made the joke that Terry's face must have sauce on it.

After supper he sat there as still as he could and listened to those around him as they talked about their days, their worries about their Lady, and what were they going to do next. He listened and began to develop a type of respect for this Lady to have earned their trust and respect in this way. He looked around the fire watching their faces when he thought that he recognized two of the men that were standing behind those who were sitting. He watched them intently making sure that he got a good look at their faces and confirmed that they were the same to men that were supposed to have been drowned several months ago when he first arrived. He remembered their faces like it was yesterday because it was it was the first time he had seen his father's horror's for himself.

He stood up and headed in their direction, when he got to them he looked at them for a long moment, before asking, "When I first arrived back home, I attended a court session where my father sentenced two men to be drowned. I feel like I am looking at ghosts because you are those two men…. Aren't you?"

They both gave him a shocked look and looked at each other for a long moment before shaking their heads and answered almost as one, "We are not…. We are not those poor men. You must be confused,… My Prince." Then they both walked quickly away.

He was left there more confused than ever, He had heard his father sentence them to death, he had heard the report from the Captain of the Guard that they had heavy rocks tied to their feet and then thrown in the lake by the palace. But he was sure that they had been standing right in front of him. How could that happen?

Before he could think about it much further, John came to show him where he was going to be sleeping. As John walked away, Terry heard himself asking, "Several months ago two of your men were captured and sentenced to drown by the King. Do you help them escape?"

John smiled broadly and replied, "If you join us, I will tell you the answer to that question. Good Night Prince Terry." And then he was gone.

Terry collapsed on the bedroll, his mind racing too much to fall asleep. He kept coming back to the fact that those men were still alive and he couldn't figure out how. He knew for a fact that the drowning was public and there was no way that with as many people who had attended it would have been a fake. What if the drowning was planned? If John knew that they were going to be drowned he could have…. Terry shook his head how would John have known so fast, and what could he have done to help the two men to breathe until all the guards and people went away?

How could you breathe underwater? Terry thought as he mulled this problem over. When he was a kid he used to use those hollow reeds to hide keep him underwater as he hide from one of his teachers. If you found long reeds and somehow connected them, it could work. He smiled to himself as he thought of this. "Here I am in a rebel camp being held prisoner, with my father possibly out to kill me and I am wondering how they saved two men from drowning. I must be going mad." He said out loud before laughing. He sobered up as he thought of again how his father could be trying to kill him, he would rather solve impossible problems like the drowning one than deal with that one at the moment.

He lay there, trying to ignore the pressing question of how could John know that the King was going to try and drowned them to get the reeds ready? There wasn't really anytime after the decision was made for the word to get out, so was it just luck? He sat up as he thought, it wasn't the King's idea to drown the two men, it was Lady Cassandra's. Could she have told John before that she would talk the King into……..

"That is insane." He shook his head, "It is utterly insane. There is no way that a spy like that could get that deep. To become one of his most trusted advisers. It is insane." But he couldn't shake the idea now that it was in his head.

* * *

Author's note- Thank you Backroads for reviewing, hopefully the story is moving along for everyone who reads it. I am just getting into the meat of the story. I am so excited.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Lady Cassandra hurried out of camp, she knew with the supply train getting hit and the Prince taken captive that the King would be looking for her. She slipped into the Palace and made her way to the library. The library always a good excuse for her to use when the King was looking for her. She was just outside the library when she saw the King coming from the opposite direction.

She stopped and curtsied to him as he approached, "How are you today, My King?" She asked when he stopped in front of her. The guards at his side kept going until they were behind her. She sent him a questioning look as he smirked at her.

"I am doing very well, my dear. In fact today I have managed to get rid of two problems and I have great reasons for both of them."

"What problems, My King?" She asked respectively.

"It seems my son has been captured by Bandits and you are soon to become my captive. I am going to suggest a trade with them, you for my son. And when they come to trade I will have everyone killed." The King triumphantly proclaimed.

Lady Cassandra looked at him, astonished. "But why? I have been loyal to you. Why are you imprisoning me?" The guards grabbed her arms as she asked.

King Markl went over to a side table and picked up a vase with freshly picked flowers, he walked back over to her and dumped the vase over her head. She looked at him surprised as he calmly walked back over to the table and put the empty vase down. He then looked back over at her and said, "Because you betrayed me." Then he walked away as the guards began to lead her to the prisons underneath the palace.

As they walked through the prison Cassandra noticed that it was cold without any windows. She was led to a far cell and push in. The guards then locked the door and walked away. Her mind was reeling in what just happened, she couldn't figure out how she had given herself away. She didn't even know about the supply train leaving this morning until she heard that the Prince had been taken. She shivered and remembered that she was still soaking wet, she pulled her hair out of its pins and smiled when a flower fell onto the floor. It must have gotten caught in her hair when the vase had been dumped over her head. She rang all the excess water out of her hair before putting it in a simple braid. She then walked over to the cot and picked up the blanket to wrap around her shoulders. Cassandra didn't know how she was going to get of this. Most likely she would be hung in a couple of days and there was only one way into these prisons and that door would be heavily guarded. Her friends would have no way of getting in. She plopped down on the cot and put her head in her hands and to her shame started crying.

* * *

Terry had a hard time falling asleep that night. He wanted the morning to be there so he could confirm his thoughts. His realization of what Lady Cassandra was doing had made up his mind, although it took him half of the sleep-less night to realize that. He wanted to join this little group even if it was just to know how that Lady was able to pull off this façade to his father.

Despite the late night Terry was up with the early light. He wandered around camp looking for John. He finally found him at the edge of camp with several other men. They were practicing sword work. Several men saw him and started taunting him, he knew he had not give himself the best first impression the day before when he hadn't even drawn his sword and he was not about to back down this morning.

He accepted a wooden sword from a blond man and went into the circle in front of a man with dark hair. He saw Finn and Jim in the crowd give him encouragement. While archery was always his best sport Terry had been practicing with a sword since he was small, so he was at least a challenge. The men found that he could hold his own in a fight, out of the five fights he had that morning he won three of them. By the time he was done, and motioned to John that he wanted to talk to him, he was getting encouragement and smiles instead of jeering.

John smiled and gestured for them to walk away from the practice area. "I see you have discovered how much these men respect skill. You would make a really good figurehead." John said off-handily.

"I don't want to be just a figurehead," Terry responded, "I want to be part of the council."

John stopped and looked at him with a serious look in his brown eyes, "And why do you say that?"

Terry explained, "I don't want people doing things in my name unless I have had a say in the decision. I don't want to be taken advantage of."

John laughed, "Good answer, I doubted The Lady when she told me that you were clever but hid it well. I see now what she was talking about."

Terry was surprised and decided to reveal his surprise, "Oh, Lady Cassandra said that about me, I didn't think she knew me very well."

John looked at him startled and with his voice lined with anger asked, "Who told you? Who said her name?"

Terry smiled crookedly and replied, "Who said anything about someone telling me? She told you I was clever, didn't she."

John just stared at him while the thought registered in his head, "Then how did you figure it out?"

"It was those two men that I saw that should have been drowned. I kept thinking about how they could have escaped…. How would you have known how to rescue them and to make a long story short, the only name that came to mind was Lady Cassandra."

John gave him a large smile, and patted him on the back, "If you could figure that out all by yourself then I am all for you to have say in the council. Come on, we are meeting to try and figure out how to break The Lady out of her prison."

Terry followed John to a large hut that was somewhere on the north side of the camp. When they walked in the five men that were in there stopped talking and just looked at them. John held up his hands and said, "He is in. He even figured out by himself who The Lady was. I think we should trust him."

A small man in the back nodded and replied, "If you are sure John, I will go with your recommendation. We need to figure how to get Cassandra out of the Prison Cells. My reports tell me that they have her not only in the cell farthest from the door but they have also doubled the guards. We won't be able to get her out of that cell alive."

"But when else is there to get her out of there?" A large heavy-set man responded.

John leaned over and whispered, "The small man who spoke first it Tibias, he is a scholar. The second is Max, he used to be a soldier before he "retired" five years ago. The tall man who is speaking right now is Abram, he used to be a farmer before The King burned his land. The man standing behind him is Patrick, I have no clue what he used to do, keeps to himself. And the last man,"

"What are you talking about?" demanded Max interrupting the discussion.

John calmly looked at him, "I was telling The Prince your names so he didn't have to call you, 'Large man over there'." John smiled to take off the sting of his retort.

Terry cast John a quick glare before saying, "All he told me was that your name is Max and you used to be a soldier." Terry held out his hand, "I am glad to meet you." After he shook Max's hand he turned to Tibias, Patrick and Abram, greeting them the same way. He then turned his attention to the last unidentified man, and remarked, "We were interrupted before I was told your name…" He paused while motioning to the man.

"My name is Walter, My Prince. I was a horse trainer before I came to be here." The man spoke very quietly as he held out his hand.

Terry shook it and then commented, "Please just call me Terry, I am about the same as you are here. So tell me about what you were discussing before we came in."

Tibias started talking first as he described how he felt they could not break Cassandra out while she was in the prison cells. Max then took over then with the explanation of there was no other time to get her out. It would be sure that whenever she was brought out of the cells she would be heavily guarded.

John then asked, "Is there any way we could maneuver the trade in our advantage?"

Patrick shook his head causing his bushy light brown hair to fall into his eyes, "No, He will pick a place where he will have the advantage. The King will not be stupid enough to let us pick the spot."

Abram asked, "He will try to hang her, we know that much. Is there a way we can get her just before she is hung?"

Terry saw Max and John shudder at the thought of hanging. He ignored it and asked, "What do you mean, Abram?"

"There will be heavy guards bringing her to the gallows, but won't they drop their guard if nothing happens? Then at the last minute we can rush in and save her? It is just an idea but it might work." Abram said with a hopeful look.

Patrick cocked his head and said, "I think I could make this idea work. Let me go ask a few buddies of mine. I will be back before nightfall, but this might be our way." He smiled and then slipped out the door, leaving everyone in confusion.

"Does he always do that?" Terry asked the group while pointing at the now empty doorway.

They all nodded at the same time.

* * *

Author's note- Thanks for reading, and thanks for the review Backroads. I really enjoyed reading it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Cassandra didn't know how long she sat there crying but after the tears had finished drying she began to think about the conversation that she had with the King. He had told her that he was getting rid of two problems today. One was the prince and the other was her. Could this have been a huge plot of the King? Did he send the Prince out with the supply wagons knowing that they would take him as a hostage? But then how did he know about her? She looked around her little cell, at the flickering light of the candle and wondered if the King was really that devious.

She shivered again, she was still damp from the water and the blanket wasn't enough to keep her warm. Tonight will not be a fun night, she thought as she got up and began to pace around the small room, trying to warm herself up. Bringing up the layout of the castle in her mind she began to analyze her situation again. She had been brought to the lowest level of the prisons and was in the cell farthest from the stairs. This would make it very difficult for her to escape, or have anyone come and get her. By the time they made it all the way down there and then back up, all the guards would have been notified and they wouldn't make it out.

Finally sick of pacing and thinking of the same depressing things over and over again, she laid down and tried to go to sleep. That night was spent in a cold restless sleep that left her feeling tired and achy when she was woken by a guard for breakfast. Another day of anxious pacing and mind worrying thoughts left her feeling even more tired by the evening. It was then that The King paid her a visit.

"I hope you are doing will, my dear." He said as he came into the small cell.

She looked over at him and answered in her best court drawl, "I am deliriously happy. And I am so glad you asked."

He smirked at her, "I have missed your humor today. I am very sad that you decided to betray my son to the rebels."

Cassandra looked at him surprised, "I didn't even know the wagons were leaving, not to mention the fact that The Prince was going with them. How could I have betrayed him?"

The King shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, but that is what I have been telling everybody, so it must be true." He finished calmly as he looked for her reaction.

"That is why I am here?! Because you have been telling lies?" She accused.

With another non-caring shrug from his shoulders, he answered, "You are here because I see you as a risk. You know more about what goes on around here than anybody else, and I can't let you switch sides on me. You're too dangerous."

She looked at him stunned, "When have I ever shown that I was switching sides, My King? I have been loyal to you from the beginning." She said with as much feeling as she could muster in her tired state, he had to believe her, or she would not escape this death sentence.

He smirked at her, "You made your loyalties plain a month ago, when you refused my offers." His eyes were hard as he looked over at her.

"What?.... but that…." She stammered, she thought that he had forgotten that day after dinner when he had tried to come on to her and she refused.

"Exactly. You remember what I am talking about. If you were truly loyal to me, you wouldn't have refused."

She looked at him, not knowing what to say, what could she say? She shivered not just from the cold as she thought about how he said yesterday about having reasons for his problems. "Your two problems and the great reasons for them. What did you mean by that?"

He laughed at her, "My son, if allowed to live would take away my throne for himself. So I got him kidnapped by rebels. And everybody thinks you set him up for that. So the public will not fault me for killing you, a traitor, and going after the rebels, having my son die in the cross-fire. That is one way this can play out, the other I told you yesterday, a trade-off."

"No," she numbly shook her head, "You're going to kill hundreds of people this way."

Again a non-caring shrug, "What happens, happens. But I have a good reason as everybody will hear about, nobody can complain about me wanting to get revenge for my son."

"Unless they know that truth." Cassandra whispered.

"The only people who know the truth are Lord Pos, myself, and you." He laughed, "And you aren't going to be able to tell anybody, as in two days you will be hanged as a traitor. Enjoy your stay until then." Still laughing he left the cell and disappeared.

If anybody ever asked Cassandra about those two days in the damp, cold, and dark little cell. She always would shudder and refuse to answer. That night she developed a coughing sickness that got worse through the next two days. When the guards came for her the morning of her hanging, she had a fever, could barely stand, and was coughing severely. With a guard on each side of her they practically dragged her out to the courtyard and up onto the gallows. The bright sunlight made her eyes hurt and water so all she could see was a mass of people in front of the elevated platform. She could see the noose hanging in front of her and then felt it as it was put around her neck.

In her delirium she thought how she never imagined herself with a hangmen's noose around her neck, hands tied behind her back, and herself so sick that she welcomed the thought of death, at least she wouldn't be sick anymore.

The King came in front of her and sneered, "You are sick, my dear. Well at least you don't have to worry about that for much longer." He lightly patted her check and then walked away somewhere where she couldn't see.

She closed her eyes waiting for the end to come, she felt the trapdoor open and she herself falling but the pull of the rope around her neck never came, instead she crashed to the ground underneath the gallows. Cassandra's eyes flew open and she saw a bewildered guard looking down at her from the hole she just fell into. She could hear the roaring of the crowd in her ears and before she could turn her head she felt herself scooped up and moving. The jarring of the man's stride whose arms she was in made her head feel like it was going to explode. She welcomed the darkness as it overwhelmed her.

* * *

Terry sat crouched on a tree branch that gave him a perfect view of the platform where the hanging of Lady Cassandra would be beginning very soon. He nervously looked out over the crowd and could see almost the whole camp mingled in with the crowd. They were all anxious for this to work. Over the last three days as they planned this escape he was filled with wonder how far these people were willing to go for that slip of a girl who had been deceiving his father for years.

His attention was diverted as he saw the guards come out with the Lady in the middle of their circle. He looked at her pale face and how she was being supported by the guards and worried. Part of their plan was for her to be able to run away but it didn't look like she was going to be doing any running anytime soon. He whistled for Patrick, Patrick looked up at him, and nodded as he pointed to the girl now almost to the platform. Patrick then melted into the crowd. Terry tried to relaxed a bit, Patrick would know how to make this complication work. He needed to be ready with his part.

Terry watched as Cassandra was led up to the noose and had it fitted around her neck, he kept his eyes on her when his father went and talked to her. As his father departed to his seat on the far side of the platform, Terry brought up his bow and pulled back the arrow, just as the guard pulled the lever to drop the trapdoor, he let it loose. He held his breath as the arrow cut the rope just above her head. He continue to hold it as she dropped to the ground, he heard the crowd yelling at the surprise and saw a man run up, grab her and run into the crowd, right past the stunned guards who were still trying to figure out what had happened. He finally let out his breath as he jumped from the tree and disappeared into the forest. He needed to catch up with Patrick and find out where Cassandra had been taken.

* * *

Author's note- two chapters in one day. I have actually had this chapter in my head since I first came up with this story. It is nice to finally get it out on paper. Thanks for reading and please review. (Thanks again for the review, backroads. It actually spurred me to write this chapter tonight.)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Terry had tried his hardest to find Patrick or John before he gave up and slipped out of town. It was only after he was out of town, that he heard that they had closed off all the exits and closed the town down. He spent the night checking the different hideaway places he knew before he started to head back to camp. He arrived back to camp in the afternoon of the next day, hoping to see those he was looking for only to be sorely disappointed. He found Abram though, and the news Abram had was not very welcoming.

"Patrick and John are still in the town with the Lady." Was the answer when Terry asked him.

"What are they still doing in town?" Terry sharply asked.

"Patrick mumbled something about not being able to get her past the guards before he ran off and John took off after him." Abram explained.

Terry swore, he knew that those two could handle themselves but this was a tricky situation. "How long do you think the town will be shut off?" He asked Abram when he had calmed down enough to start thinking.

Abram shrugged his shoulders, "The last word I heard from the town was that they were doing door to door searches. I also heard rumors that the King has sent for the Dark Mage Thes, and that they were planning something with Lord Pos."

"Planning something?... like what?...." Terry asked.

"Tibias thinks they may be trying to do some name marking spells, but who knows." Abram answered.

"Name marking spells?..... is that the spell if you say the marked name it will lead the person who cast the spell to you?"

Abram nodded, "Just in case, you will notice that everyone in camp is now just calling her Lady. Some have even given you a nickname in case they try and mark your name." he added with a smile.

"Really?" Terry asked, "And what might that be?"

Abram smiled grew broader as he said, "Archer."

Terry groaned and shook his head, "I am glad you at least find it funny, hopefully that name doesn't stick. I am amazed that all this has happened since yesterday. I wonder how we are going to get our people out of the town, though."

"I don't have an answer for that one, but Max and Tibias are waiting for you. They might have some ideas."

It was nighttime before they had a plausible idea that would work and it would only work if the information about the name marking spell was correct. They would start in the villages that surrounded the town and then spread outward, spreading the rumors that the Lady had indeed already escaped the town. Have a few people mention her name, bringing out people to investigate. That would hopefully relieve some of the security on the town and allow them to get the Lady out of there.

* * *

Marisa was pumping some water when she heard a knocking at the door. She bustled over there and saw Taven and a man she had never seen before standing there. "Ah, Taven, my boy, come in, come in. I bet you're here for your coffee." She said while she motioned them into the house.

"Yes, that is one reason I am here, I also want to show Captain Wade how good your coffee is." Taven said with a sly grin.

"Ah, a Captain! I am glad you are here. Are you just here for the coffee or can I help you somehow?" Marisa asked

Before they could answer, a coughing sound came from the far side of the room. Marisa excused herself, explaining, "My mother is sick. She caught that awful coughing sickness that is going around. The two men nodded as they waited by the door. As she made the bundle of blankets more comfortable Captain Wade asked, "I was wondering if you have heard anything about the missing Noble Lady?"

"I haven't, but with all your soldiers searching for her the last two days, surely you have caught her." Marisa replied.

"Not yet, she is being hidden and we need to find her. Taven tells me that your place attracts a lot of people, and you hear much of the gossip. I would be appreciative if you passed any of that information on." He said as she finished fussing with her mother, and then walked into the kitchen. She came out moments later with two cups of coffee.

"I will keep my ears out, but I haven't heard anything so far. Also if Taven hasn't told you, I will serve any guardsmen who comes in. My son used to be in the army and I always worried about him so if I can help make one of you feel more comfortable, I will do my best." She said as she handed them their cups.

They made small talk as they finished their coffee, then both of them bid farewell and left. Marisa went back over to the sleeping form and put a cool cloth on her forehead. She heard two men come in the back door.

"Marisa, it took you long enough to get rid of those guards. It is cold outside." Patrick grumbled.

"If I shooed them out it would have looked strange. Anyway it is not their fault they have to Patrol tonight. You might try to be nice every once in a while." She retorted.

Patrick laughed, his smiling face turning to concern as the figure in front of him started coughing. "How is she today?"

"Not much better? Her fever is still very high and in the last two days I haven't been able to get her cough to lessen."

"Has she woken up at all?" John asked her.

"No, her mind still wanders. I fear we may have saved her from hanging to suffer a much slower death."

Both Patrick and John snapped, "Don't say that!"

She sadly smiled, "I am sorry I am just worried about her that's all. It makes me wish for the umpteenth time that healer's could use magic to cure sickness's like this."

"That is above their abilities. Although it would be nice." John replied.

"We need to figure out a way to get her out of town and out to your camp before the soldiers find her. I can only pretend that she is my mother for so long." Marisa broke the silence.

"Stop feeding every soldier that even looks like he is walking your way, Marisa and we will have more time." Patrick scolded.

Marisa stood up and turned to him and said, "You know why I help the soldiers. Most of them don't even understand what is going on they are just following orders. Don't make them in to your evil spirits."

Patrick narrowed his eyes and heatedly replied, "Who is has trapped us in this city? Who is searching high and low for her? They are not just following.."

"Oh, don't say it. Don't you dare say it."

Sensing that this was an old argument between the two, John quickly stepped in-between them and held up his hands in front of their faces. "This is not going to help. Especially if you start shouting, then anybody can hear you. Those at camp will figure out a way to get us out or at least a way to lighten the guards so we can find a way. Let's just be patient for now. Especially since we have confirmed that her name has had that spell cast on it. We can't get mad and accidently say it."

They both turned away and nodded their heads in such an identical sullen way that John couldn't help but start to laugh at them, startling both of them out of their arguing moods.

The next day just after the mid-day meal Marisa was tending Cassandra when her eyes snapped open and focused blearily on her.

"Where…am I? she gasped before breaking into a fit of coughing.

"You're among friends, I am Marisa. I am Patrick's sister."

"I wasn't…_(cough) _.. wasn't aware…._(cough)…_he had a sister…"

"Don't talk, my dear. Let's try to save your strength." Marisa hummed a song as Cassandra drifted off to sleep again. Just after that she heard the door knock. She covered up Cassandra and made sure she couldn't be seen and scurried over to the door. When she opened it she found Taven and Captain Wade.

Taven smiled sadly, "I am sorry but we have been ordered to search everyone's house again. Can we come in?"

"Again? You still haven't found that missing Noble Lady? How could she escape such extensive searching?" Marisa exclaimed.

"I would like to know that myself." The captain replied bitterly.

"Well, I can't fault you for following orders. Please search while I make you a cup of coffee." She said pleasantly.

They walked in and headed to the back rooms, Marisa could hear them as they opened doors and moved about. She made sure Cassandra was well bundled up before calling out, "Your coffee is done, come and get it whenever you're done."

She heard more movement as they finished their search. They came out and apologized again. Marisa smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "You're just doing you jobs, and I consider myself lucky that you two came and did my house yourself. Now finish your coffee before you head out into the cold again."

Taven and Captain Wade smiled, Taven looked over at the bundled figure in the corner and asked, "Is your mother getting any better?"

Marisa shook her head, "No, I can't get the cough to lessen, I am worried."

"I hope she gets better soon." Captain Wade offered before they bid her a good day and left.

She busied herself cleaning cups and plates, she was almost done when Patrick came in.

"I assume this house has been searched as well." He stated.

"They came by a little while ago. We need to get her out of here before some guards I don't know come by." Marisa answered.

"There have been these nasty rumors that The Lady escaped and is in another town." Patrick said with a gleam in his eye.

"Really?" Marisa asked, "Is that was spurred this latest search?"

Patrick nodded and continued, "They are going to let people out of town to return home, but they have to have special passes, so we won't be able to get her out that way. But in two days they will be letting out a burial cart, which is how we are going to get her out of here."

"A burial cart? But surely they will check that as well." Marisa protested.

"Don't worry, I have that covered. John is getting a friend who is a healer. He has a sleep drought that makes a person seem dead for several hours. We are going to try that."

"Patrick?..." A raspy voice whispered. "Is that you?"

Patrick sent a questioning look over to Marisa before heading over to Cassandra. "It is me, My Lady." Patrick answered as he sat down.

She opened her mouth to reply but started a coughing fit instead. Patrick took a cup of warm milk and honey from Marisa and helped Cassandra drink it. When she had recovered she feverishly looked at him and said, "So it wasn't all a dream. I'm still alive."

"Yes, you're still alive, but we're still in the city. We are trying to get you out." Came the answer.

She weakly nodded and closed her eyes for such a long moment that they thought she had fallen asleep, before she asked, "Why did you never tell me you had a sister?"

Patrick laughed, "You never asked."

She smiled as she fell back asleep.

Patrick stayed by her side for a few moments before looking up at Marisa and quietly accused, "You didn't tell me she was awake."

"You didn't give me time, and it had happened once, so hush." Marisa shot back.

Their fight was stopped by John coming in with a tall, slender man carrying a black bag.

"Ahh, Cecil. I'm glad you could come with such short notice." Patrick welcomed his friend.

"Your friend was very persuasive, Pat. But he wouldn't tell me what the matter was. I trust you will be more informative." Cecil complained.

Patrick looked at John and asked, "I thought you would explain everything to him."

John shrugged, "I didn't feel like telling that long story, especially not when you can explain it so much better than me." He said nonchalantly.

Patrick sent him a dirty look and went about filling in his friend. Cecil looked at him surprised when Patrick explained who was in the corner under all those blankets. He walked over and looked at her and turned back dumbfounded at the three.

"Do you realize that you are committing treason?" He exclaimed.

They all nodded and stared resolutely at him in silence. Patrick broke it by saying, "It never stopped you before. It is very important to our cause and her friends that she lives."

Cecil looked at them and shook his head, "I have done this type of thing with you before, Pat. I trust you with my life, You know that right? I just didn't imagine that you would be part of all of this. Although now that I think about it, I know I shouldn't be surprised." Cecil looked at Cassandra and sighed. "She is still very sick. I can tell that just by looking at her. The sleeping drought would be very dangerous, she may never wake up from it. You need to realize that. It would be best if you waited four to five days."

Patrick frowned, his face lined with worry remarked, "The burial cart leaves the city in two days, Is that enough time? I don't know when there is going to be another opportunity."

Cecil made a face, "It is hard to know, it is a big risk. She is safe here, isn't she? Can't she stay here until she is better?"

Marisa answered this time, "It is difficult. The only reason why the soldiers haven't searched her personally is they are good friends with me. Currently they think she is my sick mother. All it would take is one soldier that I didn't know to search the house for them to find her."

"Well, this is a precarious situation then, isn't it?" Cecil said as his face grew thoughtful. "I can see why you are in a hurry. If you are willing to take the risk with the sleeping drought I will make one up for you. I will try to make it gentler but by doing that you will only have two hours maybe three to get her out before she starts to come out of the deep sleep."

Patrick nodded and held out his hand, "Thank you, I will owe you a big favor for this one."

Cecil smiled and clasped hands with him, "It is not often that you owe me, I will have to think about how I will cash this favor in."

Patrick grimaced, "Hopefully not like you did five years ago."

That comment made Cecil laugh hard, "You will have to wait and see, my old friend." With that he gave some coughing syrup to Marisa and gave her some instructions that would help Cassandra's cough before he left.

After he left John turned to Patrick and asked, "What happened five years ago?"

The only answer he received was a short laugh and a shake of the head.

There were many preparations to get done in the next two days. Cassandra when she was awake and coherent was given an explanation of the plan and agreed to it. John and Patrick had to make preparations to get on the detail that goes out and helps bury those in the cart.

The day of the deed, was started by getting the sleeping drought from Cecil, and buying the costly illusion spell that would make Cassandra look like the old lady she was supposed to be. The drought was given to her and the spell cast. John and Patrick then wrapped her up and started to carry her to the cart that was waiting just down the street for them. Marisa watched all this quietly, and after they left, collapsed on the chair that was set up by the bed when Cassandra had been there. She looked at the empty bed and realized that Cassandra might not wake up from this sleep, and if that happened then Marisa had helped kill her. She started to cry, not hearing the knock on the door, and even didn't hear as the two men opened the door and looked inside. She was pulled out of her thoughts by a gentle tap on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Taven and Captain Wade standing by her looking concerned.

"What happened?" Taven asked.

Marisa pointed at the empty bed in front of her, "She's gone. I couldn't save her."

Captain Wade gently said, "You did all that you could. Your mother is in a place with no pain now."

She looked blankly at him for a long moment before jumping up and exclaiming, "What am I doing? I should be getting you fine gentlemen some coffee. I can't get lost in my thoughts like that." And she scurried off to the kitchen.

Patrick and John carried their bundle over to the cart and laid it on top. The driver pulled back the wrapping looked at the old face and made sure that there was no breathing coming from the body. He grunted and nodded, before urging the oxen to move forward. When they made it to the gate, the soldiers did the same thing, moving slowly as they checked all the bodies that were in the cart. John was beginning to get nervous, it had already been about an hour since she was given the drought. They didn't have much time. Patrick put a patient hand on his shoulders and shrugged, showing that he needed to calm down.

After that all of the men on the burial detail had to have their passes checked before they were allowed through the gate. They were on their way to the cemetery after that. Fortunately the road followed the edge of the woods closely, so when one of the wheels conveniently broke and they had to empty the cart in order to lift it up to fix it. John was able to hide one body in the bushes while Patrick made a ruckus with one of the other men as a distraction. When the wheel was fixed, they both helped load the cart back up and continue to their original destination. It was only as they were making their way back John thought that he wouldn't be missed by the tired workers and he sneaked off, while Patrick continued back to the town to help his sister.

When John returned to the spot where he had left Cassandra, he was surprised to find nothing. She was gone. She shouldn't be completely wake yet, and he knew that even if she had already woken up that she would have waited for him. He search the area before making his way back to camp, hoping fervently that she had been found by them.

* * *

Author's note- sorry for taking so long to update. But without meaning too I wrote a very long chapter. Wow, I say, Wow. Please Review. And thanks for reading.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

John hurried back to the camp hoping that he would find that Cassandra had been was there. The first thing he saw as he stepped into the camp was that there was more people there. The camp almost seemed to have doubled in size. He looked around in wonder as he tried to pick someone out that he recognized. He finally saw Red Sal in her usual spot, cooking up a storm. He started to head over there when he noticed her red cheeks were redder than usual and her brow was furrowed. John stopped recognizing a bad mood and decided to find someone else. He turned around and ran right into Max. Max smiled at him and pounded his back as he greeted him.

"Ho, there John! I have been on the lookout for you and Patrick. Though I don't see Patrick with you. Did you two split up?" Max asked.

"Yes, we split up. He went back to make sure Marisa the lady who helped us hide The Lady is alright. Speaking of The Lady, do you know where she is?"

Max nodded, "Yes, we have been watching the town for the full five days you were in there, trying to catch you when you got out. Saw you hide The Lady in the bushes before you went to the cemetery. Come see her and tell us this story. She is still not awake from the drought you gave her."

"How did you know about the drought?" John asked curious.

"I know Patrick, and when I saw what you used to get out of the town, I knew what he used. But she should be waking up faster than she is. Do you know what the matter is?" He explained as they walked across the camp.

"Well, she has been very sick, and that has affected how well the drought effected her. The healer who gave us the drought was worried she wouldn't wake up at all. That is why I need to see her, she has to wake up." John said fervently.

"I agree with you there, come this way." Max said as he began to walk away. They walked up to a small hut at the edges of the camp. "We put her in here hoping it would be quieter." Max said as he pushed aside the door.

John walked in to find Terry standing just inside the door whispering to Abram. Terry smiled as he nodded in greeting to him as he listened to Abram. John went over to them and asked quietly, "How is she doing?"

"She is still in a deep sleep, according to Max she should be awake by now. Can you tell us anything different?" Abram replied.

John sighed, "The healer we used was worried that she wouldn't wake up from this sleep. She wasn't recovered enough from her sickness but we felt that we couldn't wait, we needed to get her out of there. He did make up a potion that he said to only use if she hadn't woken up after a full 24 hours had gone by."

"Why do we need to wait so long?" Terry asked his face showing his puzzlement.

"He was worried about it interacting with the sleeping drought and her body not being able to handle that. I must confess that when he explained it I was confused within seconds. You will have to ask Patrick when he gets here. Patrick understood the whole thing. All I know is that if she doesn't wake up by noon tomorrow, we need to give it to her, and hope that it wakes her up."

The three men nodded as they listened to his explanation. John looked over at the bed and saw a very pale Cassandra laying there. He watched her as she took a slow breath and then released it. At least she was breathing now, he thought to himself. It was very spooky to look at her when she wasn't before they loaded her into the cart to take her out of the town.

John looked over at his companions and saw Terry looking over at her as well, his face looking concerned before he turned and smiled crookedly at him. "Come and tell me, my friend. Of you adventures since I last saw you. Because I am sure you have many after being holed up with Patrick for that long." He clapped John on the back and led him out of the hut and over to a fire. As they sat down Terry apologized, "I would have taken you to Red Sal's for some food, but if you haven't noticed she is not in the best of moods. She seems to think it is our fault that her lady is laying in that bed over there. I have already had one of her lectures today and if you ask me I don't want another one. Take my advice avoid her until The Lady wakes up."

John smiled and said, "Thank you for the advice, I try take it to heart, I never want to be on the wrong side of her iron skillet when she is mad." He paused for a second before asking, "Is that what everybody has taken to call her? Lady?"

Terry nodded, "Yes, I think it was natural because most of them called her that anyway. If you need a laugh you should ask somebody what my new nickname is." He made a face as he said that.

That comment earned a calculating look from John before it turned into a large grin, "Now you have made me curious, what would our humble people call you that would make you make a face like that?" He had barely said that when a young man that he didn't recognize walked up and asked, "Archer, do you know when Red Sal will have dinner ready? I'm hungry."

Terry ignoring John's laughter advised the young man, "If I were you, I would find dinner somewhere else. Sal's not in a very good mood right now."

As the young man walked away disappointed, John chocked out between fits of laughter, "Archer?……….really… Archer….I would have…….. thought that …….. they……. Would have been …….. more creative………than that………………"

"Haha," Terry muttered as he pushed the laughing man away from the fire, trying not to attract attention from those around him.

It took several long moments for John to stop laughing enough for him to ask, "Why did you get that nickname? Has your name been marked as well?"

Terry shrugged, "No one wanted to risk it, so they just gave me it. I knew I should have let Jim be the one who made that shoot at her hanging."

"Archer," John said shaking his head, "Archer." He started laughing again.

"No you don't." Terry threatened, "If you start another hysteric laughing fit, I am walking away and then you won't get all the news you have missed out on since you last been in camp."

John smothered his chuckling with his hand over his mouth and held up his other hand to signal that he would be quite.

With a look of disgust Terry shook his head and started, "The Lady escaping her hanging has started a movement that I doubt can be stopped now. The King has ordered a martial law in every town in the country. Curfews, guards patrolling the streets, the works. Use your imagination on how well some of the folks have been taking these new precautions. Some have tried to fight back, which didn't end well, most have been searching for camps like this one where they can hide and hopefully escape these new turn of events."

His laughter gone now, John asked, "What are we going to do?"

Terry shook his head, "I don't know, everybody's been asking me that and I have been stalling waiting for you to make it back. Remember you recruited me."

John grimaced, "I don't know if any of us thought this far ahead. Maybe The Lady did but I sure never did. We're in new territory now."

"The one thing I hoped you wouldn't say, you had to go say it." Terry cursed. "I have no clue what to do, I am new at this by the way."

John grinned again, "At least it is you everybody is looking at and not me."

"Oh you little…." Terry started to threaten when Tobias came up and interrupted.

"Ah good, the two of you are together. Patrick is back and we are getting the council together for a meeting." He said before walking off.

The two of the both sighed before heading over to the council's hut for a what should be a very long meeting.

Terry sat down in his chair, thankful that the meeting was over and most everybody was gone. He had a headache, he almost wished that John had stayed he could have used some of his humor at the moment. At least by the end of the meeting they had finally agreed to stay out of the King's way for the moment. Hopefully if they did that, the King would loosen his precautions that he had put up. He was also hoping that by the next big meeting like that The Lady would be awake and would take over. He didn't like everyone looking at him like he should know what to do, when he was the newest to the bunch. He got up and walked outside, squinting in the darkness to see his way back to his little tent. It was much later than he thought it was if it was this dark out. He would get some sleep and hopefully the morning would look much brighter than it currently did to him.

Author's note- I hate it when you have the story in your head but the part you keep thinking about is 3 to 4 chapters ahead of where you currently need to write. Hopefully that means when I get there it should be really easy to write. Hope you like the newest chapter. Thanks for the reviews Backroads!!


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks backroads for all the reviews, they have been great.

Chapter 8

Cassandra was walking up slowly, her body felt so heavy she didn't think that she could move. It was so tempting to go back to sleep, but in the back of her head she knew there was a reason to fight that notion. She fought with herself to get herself to open her eyes before finally being able to open them a sliver….all she saw was blackness. Were her eyes really open? She remembered the conversation she had with that healer man and John. They said she should be awake by late afternoon, which means there should be light. She squeezed her eyes tight and forced them open again. She looked around as much as she could because she was having a hard time moving her head. When she gave a small grunt for her movement, she heard a rustling and movements to her left and then a small candle was lit. She quickly closed her eyes against the bright light and gave a protest moan.

"Sorry, my dear. But I wanted to actually see if you were awake. You're eyes will adjust quickly." A very familiar voice said.

Opening her eyes every carefully Cassandra saw a red smiling face, with flaming red hair piled on it, above the candle leaning over her bed. "ah…..Red….Sal……" She managed to choke out.

"Don't talk, love. You're back in camp, and it is sometime after midnight. From what I hear from the no-good John and Patrick, you will have a hard time waking up from that horrible sleeping drought that they gave you." Red Sal said angrily.

Cassandra gave a small chuckle, Red Sal was always protective. "Sorry…." Her voice was coming out a little easier now. "if I worried you. It was…. the best way we could think to get me out."

"humph…." Red Sal answered. "But anyway sleep is the best thing right now for you. Close your eyes and don't worry about a thing. I'll wake you up with breakfast in the morning."

As soon as Red Sal had said it, Cassandra could feel her eyes closing again and sleep regaining its claim on her once again.

Sal watched Cassandra for a long time after she had fallen back asleep, mostly to assure herself that she was really asleep. She sat back down in her chair by the bed before putting the candle for some sleep herself.

Cassandra woke up to a gentle nudging on her shoulder, she was glad to find that she could open her eyes easier this time. She opened them to find herself in a dimly lighted room. She looked over to see Red Sal with a bowl. Smiling she asked, "It is still dim in here, is the sun still rising?"

Shaking her head, Sal answered, "No, we have the windows covered, it is actually almost noon, my dear. I just thought it would be better for you to sleep."

Cassandra nodded as she tried to push herself up to a sitting position and found that she was having a hard time moving her body, she felt so weak. Sal nodded her head and said as she helped her sit up. "The healer we had in here this morning said that you would be very weak for at least three to four days. So I hope you don't mind if I feed you, this morning."

Cassandra sighed as she tried to lift her hands, "I don't think I have a choice right now."

Sal laughed, "Not really, but I have a good soup for you that you are to eat before falling asleep again."

After Sal had seen to it that Cassandra had eaten, done the necessaries, and was sleeping again, she left the hut to find John, Patrick and Archer waiting for her.

"How is she?" Patrick asked first.

"She is awake, and very very weak, thanks to you." Sal said bitterly.

Patrick gave a self-conscious laugh before answering, "We did the best we could."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I approve or like it." She shot back. She walked with Patrick arguing past the other two to her cooking area.

John watched them as the bickered back and forth before he remarked, "If I didn't know better I would say that they enjoy arguing with each other."

Terry looked over at them and answered, "You're probably right. I think it helps takes their minds off other things. I have to say though that I am relieved that she woke up on her own. I didn't like the sound of that other potion you had." His face was thoughtful as he said that.

"I agree with you. Once the word gets around though that she is awake she is going to have a lot of visitors. You might want to assign Red Sal to be a guard in front of The Lady's hut so she will not be disturbed." John said his eyes serious.

Terry laughed at him, "Then I assign you to tell Red Sal that, and everyone else who missed her dinner last night."

"What?!" John looked at him surprised. "I can't do that!! She is already mad at me, I don't want to go near her."

Terry smirked at him, his eyebrows raised as he said then, "What do you suggest then? Do you want to be the beloved Lady's guard then?"

John narrowed his eyes at him and answered, "No, I don't believe I can, _Archer_." His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "I think that Max will do wonderfully for that. He doesn't like to walk around much anymore anyways."

They both looked at each other with mischievous looks and grinned. Walking together they went over to where Max was lounging by the fire and as one chimed, "Max, we have a very important job for you."

Max looked at them confused, "What are you two up too this morning?"

"We need you to act as a guard for The Lady." Terry answered.

"We are afraid that her loyal followers may try to see her interrupting her much needed sleep." John added.

Max scowled at them and asked, "Why should I do it?"

"We need a commanding force, who people cannot say no too." John continued innocently.

Terry opened his mouth to say something else but Max beat him saying, "I really don't feel like arguing with you two when you are in this mood. I will stand watch outside her door, if only to get some peace and quiet." Max finished his statement before walking off in the direction of Cassandra's hut.

The two laughed as they congratulated each other on their success as they walked away from the fire.

The next several days kept everyone busy as they ran guerrilla attacks on probing raids from the King's army sent into the forest, processing of information of what was happening in towns around the country and the hardest part of all, keeping Cassandra's avid fans away from her while she was healing.

A week after Cassandra had woken up, she had finally gotten the okay from Red Sal to let her go outside and sit by Sal as she prepared food for dinner. Cassandra was beginning to hate that little hut she was staying in. She needed to get outside, for the last two days she had begged, demanded, and whined to be able to at least stand outside the door. They had set up a chair with cushions and everything by Sal's cook spot for her, and she, had to say, enjoyed being able to watch everyone going about their different tasks throughout the day, or course, anything was better than the boring walls of her little hut.

Although after three days of that, Cassandra was getting bored again. She started just walking around the campfire, then made her circles bigger and bigger wondering if Sal would notice and call her back to her boring cushioned chair. After a while, Cassandra was certain that Sal had noticed her antics but she hadn't said anything so she just continued to wander farther and farther away before coming back to have a rest.

As she had her wandering walks she was sometimes joined by various people. John was usually her main companion, and she enjoyed walking with him, he made her laugh so easily. Max, Patrick, and Abram were also frequent companions. It had been a full two weeks after she had woken up before she actually talked to Prince Terry. She had of course seen him walking around, talking to John and others. She had heard everyone gossip about how he was now their leader and how smart he was. She had learned his new name, Archer, given to him by the members of the camp.

She was wandering around the camp like usual when she came up to the Archery Field. She stopped to watch them as they practiced their skills. Cassandra could see in the line The Prince with them, she had often watched him while they were both still in court, but he seemed so different out here, freer, maybe. She watched them for a little while longer before turning around to leave. Cassandra had not gone very far before she heard, "Lady, wait just for a moment." Being called out. Cassandra made a face, she missed her name, being call Lady all the time was so strange. She turned around to find The Prince jogging toward her. He smiled apologetically before saying, "I am sorry I haven't come and talked with you before but I have been busy. We haven't been introduced yet." He smiled broadly, "My name is Archer, if you remember me by a different name, don't utter it or who knows what will happen." He laughed to show he was joking.

She smiled and replied, "That is so strange, because I have the same thing on my name so you must call my by Lady." She said with a big curtsy as she made a face.

Laughing he responded, "You don't like your name either? I have to say I wish I could have had a say in mine."

That made her laugh, she was about to retort to his comment when his name was called and he bowed quickly to her with a quick good-bye and he was gone.

She watched him leave trying to sort out why she felt sad. In reality she had been feeling like this for several days but she didn't quite know what to make of it, so she ignored the feeling. She looked over the camp, how everyone was busy in tasks that she had no part of, and the revelation hit her. She wasn't needed her anymore. Before she was their leader, now they had a Prince to lead them. She meandered back to her chair and sat down in it for the rest of the day.

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Author's note- ok, bad spot to leave it, but I wanted to get it up today and I need to go to sleep so I can wake up for that lovely job tomorrow. Please review.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

After sitting in her little chair feeling sorry for herself for the rest of the day, Cassandra start to try and pull herself out of it. In fact she should be happy not having to worry about what they were going to do next. She smiled at this thought, it would be a relief not having everyone looking to her for help or ideas. She stood up and looked around the camp with new eyes, wondering what she could do to occupy her time now that she didn't have the camp to worry about. She could help out Red Sal, or maybe help with one of the other cooking ladies. She was happy to see everyone as they walked by and went about their individual jobs.

She was walking around looking to see who would need some extra help when Tobias came running up to her in a huff. "My Lady, My Lady. You must come quick. I know that we told Red Sal we wouldn't disturb you while you were healing with camp problems but you need to come quick." He looked at her expectedly and made shooing motions to the main camp building.

She looked at him confused, her heart sinking a little bit. She started towards the building and asked Tobias, "So Sal's the reason that I haven't heard much of what is going on then?"

Tobias nervously nodded, "Sal's probably going to kill me for asking you to come but we need you back."

"What is the matter?" Cassandra pressed.

"Just come and see." He answered.

She followed him into the Main Building, wondering what could be such a big problem to send Tobias into a nervous fit. She looked around the room and found everyone in the council sitting there waiting… just waiting… not arguing, talking, or even whispering. They were just sitting there… looking at her… smiling.

Scowling she asked, "What is going on here?"

"We thought you looked a little down this afternoon, so we thought we would give you some excitement." Patrick said with a smile and a gleam in his eye.

Cassandra gave him a dirty look and prompted, "Is that all? Because I have a feeling that there is more to this little gathering than making me feel better."

Patrick answered the smile still on his face, "Well, we are at a bit of an impasse. None of us have a clue what to do next. We were hoping you did."

"What is happening? You have to at least admit that I have no clue on what has happened these last few weeks." She answered.

"You can blame Red Sal for that one." Max answered, "We have been trying to get you back in action for at least a week now."

Cassandra made a face at them and patiently waited for one of them to continue, when nobody did she prompted, "So, what has been happening?"

"Well," Terry started, "The whole country side has been placed under Marital law. You must have special passes to travel, there are curfews, and a bunch of other stuff. The most pressing thing is that they are sending forces into the woods trying to find this camp." He said this lazily but she could see the tension in his shoulders.

She nodded her head as she sat down next to Patrick, forgetting any thought about not being in charge. "What action are you thinking about taking?"

"That's where you come in," Max said. "Nobody knows what to do, we were hoping that you had a plan of how to end this."

Sorrowfully she shook her head and replied, "I actually hoped that we would be able to take the king down before he even thought that I might be against him. I am afraid that I don't have a plan for this."

Patrick smiled and protested, "I told them so, but they wouldn't listen to me."

She smiled at him and answered, "But you are so convincing, I can't believe that you couldn't make them believe you."

He shrugged and smiled.

"So what are we going to do?" She asked.

Everyone grew somber and silent before Tobias answered, "We need to strike back."

She looked at him confused, "Usually you aren't this aggressive, Tobias. Do you have something in mind?"

"We need to start our raiding missions again. Let's see if we can make them mad." He answered.

She blankly looked at him for a moment before saying, "The King is already mad, I don't see how that would help."

Tobias shook his head, "No, I think if we start our raiding missions but this time spread it out across the country, he will be forced to spread his forces too thin, giving us a chance to fight back."

"What about the soldiers who are just following orders?" Patrick asked, when he saw John's smile he explained, "I told my sister I would at least ask the question." He said as he sent a glare over to his friend.

"Give them an option not to fight." Max answered.

"Is it really that easy?" Terry asked.

"Won't trying to spread his forces out, also spread our forces out?" Abram asked, talking for the first time.

Everyone attention was diverted to Abram's question, "It could." Tobias conceded. "But with every move he makes, The King makes more and more people against him, giving us more forces. I think with this we should be fine."

"That's a big risk, Tobias." Terry answered, "I am not quite sure if we can pull it off. But it is something that I bet my father wouldn't be expecting. He would not expect such an extensive counterstrike."

Cassandra looked around at the men on the council as they discussed this new possible tactic. She leaned over to Patrick and asked in a whisper, "You have contacts all over the country, How do you think they will respond to these attacks?"

Patrick gave her an assessing look before saying, "Off the top of my head, I can think of three who would think it is a great idea. Others wouldn't, one in particular would need a lot of convincing to do it. But I think we could manage to convince many of them."

"Are the people you are thinking about people who could lead a little band of raiders?" She asked.

He chuckled under his breath before whispering back, "Most of them already have a happy little group of some kind or other."

She smiled at him, "That's why I like having you around, Patrick. You know so many different people. How should we approach these happy little groups to ask for help?"

Making a face he shrugged, "Not quite sure, each one will want something different or approached in a different way." He looked around at the others who were still throwing ideas around, and saw Terry looking at them from across the table with an inquisitive look on his face. "Don't look now, but Archer is wondering what we are whispering to each other over here."

She gave a quiet laugh as she looked in Terry's direction and gave him a wink before whispering back to Patrick, "Should we tell our companions about this little conversation now, or do you need time to ask around?"

"Let's tell them now, I can guess what some of them will ask for in return for their help, and that needs to be passed by the council." Patrick said motioning her to get everyone's attention.

She sent him an annoyed look before saying loudly, "We have an idea to help boost the forces we will need for such a project." She paused waiting for everyone's attention to be on her. "Patrick knows of many little groups that people usually don't know of." She made a face as she said this before continuing, "We can temporarily make allegiances with them, causing us to have some more forces in different areas of the country."

Max, his face screwed up with thought, asked, "Is it wise to make such allegiances?"

"With some of them, yes, it would be. But we will avoid them. The others will ask for compensation for their help. Most of these groups will ask for supplies, some of the others I don't know what they will want." Patrick filled in.

"I guess since I am new, I am confused about this. What kind of groups are these?" Terry asked.

Cassandra looked over at Patrick and prompted him. He made a face and answered, "It depends on the area, some are smuggling groups, some are thieves, others are outcasts, and last bit of them are murderers. I recommend avoiding the last group but the others I believe are people who are struggling just as much as we are and would help."

"How do you know them?" Terry asked.

Patrick sent him a lopsided grin and remarked, "To know them is to be part of them."

Terry processed that remark and was about to ask another question when John interrupted him, saying, "It will help with this plan, if we can get their help, how should we get a hold of them?"

Cassandra leaned back in her chair and listened as they talked about getting a hold of Patrick's friends. She knew that once they started this strategy with the raids they would not be able to go back. It would cause too much of a reaction from the King. But there wasn't many options left for them.

It took two hours to decide on who to send across the country and contact Patrick's friends and organize a guerrilla group in that area. They made assignments and reorganized the patrols for the camp. As they did this Cassandra realized something she had never thought of before because she was too busy with being a spy at the castle, and that was she couldn't help with any of this. She had never learned any kind of weapon. Again she felt left out for the second time that day. Everyone got up to leave and she stayed in her seat and watched everybody leave, except for Terry. She looked at Terry confused, wondering why he didn't leave with the others. He sat down next to her where Patrick had been sitting and asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I am fine." She bluffed. "Why do you ask?"

"You have your ice queen face on."When she looked at him surprised he continued, "The blank cold face you always had on when you were at the castle. I haven't seen it since you came to the camp and now it is back. What's wrong?" He asked.

She looked at him stunned for a moment before she cracked a smile and laughed, "You're the first to ever catch me on that. You're more perceptive than I originally thought, My Pr….. I almost forgot, Archer." She finished with another laugh.

He made a face and then prompted, "What's wrong?"

Making a face back at him, she hesitated for a moment, before letting out a sigh, "I just felt a little left out at the end, you all are helping with the raids and patrols but I can't help because I don't know how to fight." The last part came out as a whisper.

"Hm…" Terry thought for a moment before continuing, "I doubt that anybody would let you even pick up a sword because of who you are. It also takes years of practice to get where you can defend yourself with a sword especially if you are up against a trained soldier." He continued his musings ignoring her startled looks, "but I bet if you practice you might become a fair archer. Archers tend to be back from the fighting giving you time to take aim before you shoot. Would you like to learn?" He asked finally looking at her in the eyes.

She just looked at him with a shocked look for a long moment, before answering, "Are you offering to teach me?"

Terry nodded his head and remarked, "I have two girl cousins who learned archery with me growing up, so I know that girls can do it, in fact I had to practice very hard in order to be better and Adele. She is very good."

"Well, then in that case, I would be pleased if you taught me then. " She replied back.

He smiled at her, stood up, and mockingly held out his arm before saying, "Can I escort you to the archery range, My Lady."

Laughing she smiled at him and replied, "Of course, it is not everyday a lady gets escorted to the archery range, to learn to be an archer by the _Archer_ himself."

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Author's note- yay, I have this chapter out of the way, I am hoping to update really soon, we'll see how much I can get written tonight.


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks Backroads for reviewing!!

Chapter 10

Although Cassandra would never admit it to Terry's face, she was having fun learning archery from him. Just last night as she was trying to get her last shot in before the light faded away completely, he had her laughing so hard she couldn't even see the target through her watering eyes. She shook her head as she raised her bow to take aim. She was there early in the morning trying to get some practice in without much distraction. She found it was the best time to practice, not many people were up yet and she could have time to think. As she practiced aiming and shooting her arrows, she found her mind wandering. She began to think of all the raids that were going on. So far they were having the expected effect. More and more forces were going out to meet the threat they were posing. It had only been two weeks but they were causing quite a stir. More and more laws were coming out, restricting travel, curfews and anything else that the King could think of. She hoped with all her heart that nobody would get caught.

She aimed again, then let go and smiled to herself when it landed on the edge of the middle ring.

"You're getting better." Came an amused voice behind her, startling her.

She turned around to see John leaning against the fence with a huge grin on his face. She made a face at him and told him off for scaring her.

He laughed, "Maybe Red Sal's right, all this rough company is not good for you, My Lady."

Rolling her eyes she turned to face the target again. "Sal's one to talk, did you hear her last night at dinner?"

That caused another laugh out of him, "I have to say that I am surprised that Archer is teaching you archery. You don't need a weapon to be dangerous." She shot a glare over her shoulder and saw him laughing.

"You are so funny, John. Did you come here to practice or just to bother me?" She said as she turned around again and looked expectedly at him.

John smiled gently, "I actually I wanted to ask you, something."

"What?"

"I wanted to ask you about Luke."

She looked at him sharply, "What?!"

"I understand that he is the reason you started helping with the resistance. But he died two years ago, before you went to be a spy to the King. Are you seeking revenge for his death?" John asked his face blank.

She looked at him, her face pale, for several long moments before answering, "To be honest, I haven't thought about him for quite a while. I am surprised that you are the one asking me this though, it is more Max's style." She stopped when John's smiled at her.

"Actually we drew straws and I always have the luck of drawing the short straw."

She smiled sadly at him and shook her head, "When you see Max again, tell him I am not looking for revenge. And to please not bring up Luke again."

John nodded and changed the subject, "Give me that bow of yours and I will show you how to really shot it."

She laughed at him as she handed him the bow, "I don't think I have ever seen you even hold a bow before, John. Are you sure you can shoot it?"

As they laughed over John antics, neither one of them noticed Terry slipping away from the shadow of some trees. He was confused, he had never heard anybody talk about a man named Luke. And her reaction to John's question confused him even more. What did Luke mean to her? He walked around blindly for a little while before he pulled himself angrily out of his thoughts, actually saying out loud, "Why am I so bothered by this? It is not my problem." He looked around to find that he had wandered outside the camps perimeter. He walked quickly back, reminding himself that it was not his problem.

When he got back to the archery range, Cassandra and John were gone. He picked his bow up and a quiver of arrows and picked the farthest target and shot until he was out of arrows. As he put down his bow he heard a voice behind him, "You're in a rare mood today."

He turned around and saw Abram. "How are you today, Abram?"

"Very good, it is going to be a nice sunny day." Abram replied.

"It is going to be a sunny day," Terry confirmed, and then asked, "Why do you say I am in a rare mood?"

"You usually don't spend a whole quiver of arrows on one little target." He answered matter-of-factly.

Terry looked at the far target that now looked like a pincushion and smiled, "I guess I did go a little over-board."

"Anything I can help with?" Abram asked.

Terry hesitated before slowly asking, "Did you know a man named Luke?"

Abram sent him a searching look, "Where did you hear that name from?"

Terry just shrugged his shoulders.

"I met him briefly before he died. Not many people here in camp were here at that time. It was still very small. Tell me where you heard his name." Abram strongly stated.

He just shrugged his shoulders again, and said, "I am going to go get my arrows." And Terry walked away to the target. He pulled out his arrows and returned where Abram was still standing waiting for him. When he walked up to Abram, Abram smiled and clapped him hard on his shoulder and merely said, "Good luck." He then turned and walked away.

Terry shouted after him, "Good luck with what?" Abram's answer was to shrug his shoulders. Leaving Terry more confused than ever.

When he helped Cassandra with her archery later that day he really wanted to ask about Luke but considering her reaction with John earlier he thought it best not to say anything.

"You alright, Archer?" Cassandra asked while she put away her bow and arrows.

He looked blankly over at her and said, "Yes, I am fine. Why do you ask?"

"You have just been very quiet, today." She commented.

"I've just been thinking."

She smiled over at him, "Yes, I have noticed. Are you going to tell me what you have been thinking about?"

He made a face and shook his head.

"Fine, be that way." Cassandra huffed.

They started walking back to council room in an awkward silence. When they got there they were surprised to find Patrick arguing with a man that they didn't know.

"Is everything alright here?" Terry asked coming up to them.

Patrick looked over at him, his eyes betraying unease, "No, I don't think you can. But it is good that you came because I was just about to call a meeting."

Nodding at him, Terry looked over at the other man who was now staring at Cassandra with narrowed eyes. Alarmed at this, Terry grabbed her arm and muttering apologies, he pulled her inside the council room. She protested all along the way, when they made it inside, he tried to explain his behavior. "That man with Patrick was making me nervous, did you see how he was looking at you?"

"No, I was looking at Patrick, trying to figure out what was the matter. Something big is bothering him." She answered.

"Let me just say that it was a little creepy. Hopefully he doesn't come to the meeting."

"Why?" Cassandra asked.

Terry was spared having to answer her by John and Tobias entering in. John looked at Cassandra and simply said, "Aunt Linda." He looked like he was about to say something else when everyone else arrived. He sent at very pointed look over at her, then to Terry before going to his seat. Cassandra nodded and directed Terry to sit down next to her instead of across the table where he usually sat. He looked at her confused and tried to protest but she gave him a squelching look and shook her head slightly. As he sat down she whispered to him, "Play along, They are going to switch somebody."

"Switch somebody?" He asked, but he never got to hear her answer because Patrick and his guest had come in. He looked around the table and saw Jim sitting across from him in his usual spot. Jim shrugged at him and directed his attention to Patrick who had started speaking.

"I will give introductions now." He started. "This new face is Chance. He comes as a messenger from an old friend of mine, Jason."He started pointing around the table, "That's Tobias, John, Our Lady," Then pointing at him, Patrick said, "Jim, Abram, Max, and then last is Archer." He finished with a nod at Jim.

Terry kept quiet, he was wondering why they thought that it was important for Jim to be him. He listened and watched with the others as Chance gave his message from Jason. Jason wanted to set up a meeting to discuss the terms needed for his help. He wanted the whole council to meet him at a predestined spot to hold this meeting. When he said this, the whole room exploded with protests.

They spent the next hour arguing over how they couldn't all go to meet somebody on the other side of the country. The meeting needed to be closer…. Only a few people needed to go, not everybody…

They went round and round in circles until they finally agreed to send four people over to the meeting place. One thing that Chance wouldn't move on, was that Archer and the Lady needed to go to the meeting. They set the date for the meeting to be in a week. Chance, after thanking them for their time left immediately.

"Can someone please explain to me why Jim was acting as me?" Terry demanded after Chance was gone.

Everyone looked at Patrick, his face serious he explained, "Chance told me of Jason's demands before I called the meeting. While there was no way to put in a double for The Lady, I did it for you. I believe that Jason is going to set us up. So I wanted him to think that Jim here is you."

"You wanted him to think Jim is me, so he tries to kill Jim and not me!?" Terry explained. "I am not going to allow that to happen!"

Patrick, very frustrated, remarked, "Oh, you are still going with us on this little trip of ours, but not as Archer. You will be going as a guard to her." He finished pointing to Cassandra.

"What?!" Terry and Cassandra exclaimed together.

"I think this meeting is a ploy to try and kill both of you. You are our leaders and they think that if they get rid of you, the King will reward them. So we are going to get a little tricky." Patrick continued.

"Why didn't we just refuse to go to the meeting?" Max asked.

"Chance made some veiled threats about being against us when I suggested that." Patrick said bitterly. "It wouldn't surprise me if they try and give away the location of this camp, anyways."

"Alright," Cassandra said smoothly, "We said we are going to be there, that's it. How are we going to travel with all the new measures they have up?" She asked.

Again everybody looked at Patrick, "I will have passes made up to get us through checkpoints, and we will have to travel in small groups. I know people along the way that will let us stay and hide us if necessary."

Abram spoke up, "I know many farmers as well who will help as well. Traveling to a relatives farm might make a good cover story, Patrick."

Nodding, Patrick replied, "I will use that story for you, since you can back it up. And I think it best if Archer… I mean Jim," Patrick corrected, his eyes twinkling at him, "and Cassandra go with you."

"Then myself, _this Archer_, and" He paused for a moment, thinking about who else should come, before remarking, "Maybe we'll just leave it at that. It is the required four."

John said, "I would like to come."

Patrick opened his mouth but Cassandra bet him to it. "We need you here, you are the next person that everybody looks too."

John made a face and remarked, "How did that happen? I was trying to be all irresponsible, so I wouldn't have to deal with that."

Laughing Abram replied, "Nope, you get to stay here and be in charge."

"Bah! Being in charge is highly over-rated." John shot back, "I think that Abram needs to stay. He is calmer." He looked around at everybody and then remarked, "But if you think that I should stay, I will stay."

"They might even try to attack this camp while we are away." Terry thoughtfully remarked, "You might see some action."

"Bah," John said again, but he had a gleam in his eyes betraying his words.

"We can discuss more plans tomorrow, I have to say I am having a hard time thinking about all of this." Max barged in. Everyone agreed and started to wander out of the room.

Terry turned to Cassandra and asked, "How did you know that they were going to switch somebody?"

"Do you remember when John said Aunt Linda?" She waited for his nod. "It is a code that they are going to switch. It has been a while since we have used it, we used to use it all the time with Lu…" She paused for a second, "We used it all the time before you got here."

He looked at her with narrowed eyes trying to decide if he should ask about her pause. He decided not to and only bid her good night.

* * *

Author's note- a long chapter, I just kept adding things to it as the week progressed. Hopefully it all made sense, please review!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

After a whirlwind of packing, getting the passes ready and planning their route, Cassandra, Terry and Abram found themselves on the road heading for the meeting point of the village Dain. Since they were posing as traveling farmers, the only weapons they carried were knifes that could be hidden from view. Cassandra looked around and was thinking about the meeting when she heard Abram laughing again. She gave him a glare as he waved his hand in apology. "I'm sorry," He said still chuckling, "But I can't get over the fact that according to our passes that you two are engaged and I'm your father."

She commented scowling, "I am glad that you are at least getting some laughs from it."

This time it was Terry who laughed, "You know Patrick is playing a joke on us, might as well laugh and accept it. We are only acting to be engaged. It can't be worse than acting to be my father's aid, can it?"

Making a face, she thought for a moment, "I guess not. I just don't like how he sprung it on us."

"Let Patrick have his laugh," Abram commented, "I think John might have helped him with the idea, though. They were laughing about something last night."

"Yes, that sounds like John." Terry replied with an easy smile. "He was probably trying to get us back for making him stay at camp."

Cassandra finally laughed at that and nodded her head.

After an hour or two of riding in comfortable silence, Cassandra asked, "If my memory serves me correct we are staying on this road all day, right?"

"No," Terry said as he shook his head, "After we cross the river, we are going to go cross-country for a little while. There is a checkpoint that we need to avoid."

"I remember that now." She replied back.

"Kayla," Abram said, smiling as he called her by her traveling name. "I don't think Jack has heard your story of how you got involved with our little lovely group."

Terry looked over hopeful at her as she made an uncertain face. "It is kind-of a long story, I don't think we have time."

He arched an eyebrow and said, "Really? We don't have the time? What else can we do over the next five days of traveling?"

She looked over at him, then sighed, "Fine. I will tell you." She paused for a moment, then looked at Abram, "How far back should I go?"

"Start just before you were kidnapped." Abram answered without thinking.

Hearing the word kidnapped peaked Terry's interest, "When were you kidnapped?" He asked in spite of himself.

"Wait a moment, you need some more patience, _Jack_." She said, annoyed.

"But just a plain country farmer like me doesn't have the patience to wait." He said plaintively with a gleam in his eye.

She scoffed at him and gathered her thoughts for a moment before she started her tale, "It was almost three and a half years ago. I had just turned fifteen. Around then the King was not well liked but he hadn't really started being really nasty yet. There was a group of bandits, the shadow archers, who was against the King and was trying to recruit more people to stand up against him. At this point in time I think only two remote villages had been made examples of and many feared they would be next so they didn't want to do anything that singled them out. My father, Lord Daniel seemed to be sympathetic so he was approached. The leader of the Shadow Archers was a man named Luke. A short description of Luke; he was Red Sal's son, so he had red hair and green eyes, he was around 20 when I first meet him. He was a natural leader and had formed this group himself. Anyway Luke approached my father and my father didn't want to get involved because he was worried that the King was watching him. Luke was mad at that decision and decided to kidnap me to try and bargain with my father for supplies."

Abram stopped her to lead them off the road so they could go around the checkpoint. They stayed silent as they rode through the woods, listening for bandits, or soldiers. Once Abram thought they were far enough away they went back to the road.

Terry motioned for her to begin again.

"Luke tried to kidnap me twice. The first time, he didn't have a chance, there were too many guards around me at the time, and he only had five men with him. The second time though was much better prepared and he succeeded at carrying me off. At that time I hadn't had much experience of life outside our fief, so you can imagine that I was scared witless. John and Max were there with the group but Abram, Patrick and Tobias hadn't joined yet. Red Sal was furious with her son for scaring me like he did, so I stayed with her while I was there. Max and John were also not very happy at his decision. Although I don't know why they didn't stop him after the first time. I don't think I have ever asked them." She stopped to think about that, before continuing.

"As I began to talk and make friends with those to Red Sal feed, I began to be swayed by their thinking. The thinking that the King was bad and that he wouldn't stop until the country had been destroyed. I was there as their "prisoner" for a whole month while they tried to bargain with my father. And I even helped them plan some attacks. We were going to make the trade, me for the supplies, when we were attacked on the way to the meeting place. Luke and several others were killed during that attack. My father rode in and grabbed me taking me home."

"Your father planned the attack?" Terry asked.

She shook her head, "No, he didn't. He was on his way to meet us and heard the fighting. The King heard about the meeting and thought it would be a good time to wipe out the annoying group of bandits." She finished with a grim smile.

"So how in the world did you get to the Palace and get on my father's good side?" Terry asked confused.

"Oh, that part is coming up." Abram chuckled. "Just wait a bit."

Terry made a face at him and then looked expectedly at Cassandra waiting for her to continue.

She laughed at him and said to herself, "Who knew I would have such an interested audience one day?" only continuing after she ducked a pinecone Terry had thrown at her. "Only those who were part of the Shadow Archers knew that I was like minded with them. I was also very upset about Luke's death. My father took me being upset as I was upset about being kidnapped and in a fight. So when the order came for him to send me to the Palace to recuperate, he agreed easily. He wanted me away from things that would remind me of my ordeal. On the way, I had a _chance_ meeting with Red Sal. She came into my room at an inn along the way, we talked all night long about her son and what we should do. We came up with the idea of me spying on the King. It would just take some acting to pull it off." She saw the look in Terry's eyes and answered, "It took a lot of acting to pull it off, but not as much as you think. Remember I had been kidnapped by bandits. So when I went into the palace I didn't go as a sad, scared girl. I went as someone who was mad, mad at bandits for keeping me in their little woods camp, mad at my father for not letting me go after them, throw in other things that I could possibly mad at. Sal had the camp moved so I gave away the location of the camp to the King. I described people who were at the camp, wrongly I might add, so they could put our wanted posters. It really only took me a month or so to get onto the King's good side. Staying there for the next two years was the hard part."

Terry, thinking about what she said asked, "How did he catch you then? How did he know you were a spy?"

She just shrugged her shoulders and started down the road in silence. They continued down the road until they came to the village Tanne, where they would be staying the night. They secured rooms and ate dinner. Terry and Abram shared a room, and while they prepared for bed, Abram mentioned, "I know you have been thinking about what the Lady has told you today. There are things that she left out. Some that she doesn't even know. The two main things are how did the King catch her? He was lucky. A month before he caught her, he decided that he had enough of just looking at her, he wanted to have her. From what I hear, she smoothly distracted him and changed the subject. When he threw her in prison it was a reaction to that. It had nothing to do with her spying activities." Abram paused for a long moment, before continuing, "As for her relationship to Luke and why he kidnapped her. I don't think I'll tell you yet. It is much better when John tells it, you should ask him." He finished with a grin.

Terry stuck his tongue at him and settled down for the night. He had much to think about, so it was a while before he actually fell asleep.

* * *

Author's note- I looked today and it had been almost a month since I last updated. This chapter has a lot of history and explaining in it. Hopefully it wasn't too boring. Let me know what you think!


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks for the review Backroads!

Chapter 12

Every morning and night after that for the next three days, every time Terry was alone with Abram, he would try and get Abram to tell him about Luke. But he would only say the same thing, "You need to ask John that." This just made Terry more determined to get it out of Abram, he wouldn't see John for at least another week.

On the fourth day of traveling they ran into an unexpected checkpoint. By the time Cassandra saw it, it was too late they had already been spotted by the guards. Abram whispered in a reassuring voice, "Don't worry, that is why we have the papers and cover story, just remember to stick to it."

Cassandra nodded, and smoothed the worry out of her face. They rode up to the checkpoint where the guards told them to dismount. Cassandra politely asked if she could take the horses to the stream to have a drink while they looked at their papers. When she came back she saw Terry, and Abram still talking with one of the guards. Taking the three horses reins she tried to lead them over to where the two men were standing but several guards stepped out and blocked her way.

"Excuse me," She said meekly, ducking her head in what she hoped was a shy manner, "I am trying to get back to my father, and Jack."

One of the soldiers remarked, "You are a very pretty woman." As he reached out and caught her chin with his hand forcing her face up. "Why are you with those two _farmers_?" saying the word farmers like it was a bad smell on his boot.

Cassandra pulled herself away from his hand and said, "Those farmers are my father and fiancée. Please don't speak about them in that way."

Another soldier wrapped his arm around her shoulders and commented, "Don't get angry with my friend, he isn't used to being around somebody as pretty as you. Me on the other hand," He didn't finish his sentence because Terry came over and stepped in-between them, forcing the soldier to let go of her.

He looked coldly at the soldiers that had gathered around her and said, "I would appreciate it, if you left my _fiancée_ alone." He stressed the word fiancée as he put his arm around her possessively.

The first soldier crossed his arms across his chest and remarked, "Pardon me, but you too don't seem like you much in love. Perhaps you maybe mistaken."

Cassandra looked at him surprised, "How could we be mistaken about being engaged?"

He shrugged his shoulders not worried about the question.

Abram looked at him with narrowed eyes, "I wonder if you have something in mind?" He asked lightly although his hands were making fists.

The soldier looked over at his friends and smiled, "A kiss may persuade us that we are wrong."

Cassandra and Terry both felt their cheeks get warm as they all looked expectedly at them. Terry looked at them blankly for a moment and then began to smile as he looked over at Abram. "Well my future-father-in-law, these gentlemen want a sign of our affection. Do I have your permission to kiss your daughter? I know if you told me that if you saw me doing that before we were married you would have my hide."

The soldiers who did not know Abram well, did not see him holding back a grin and he tried to glare at first Terry and then the soldiers who had started this. He begrudgingly nodded and spoke as if the words hurt his teeth, "This is the only time I will allow it, so you better not try it again until the wedding."

Terry grinned from ear to ear as his arm around Cassandra's shoulders tightened drawing her in and then he bent her back in one of those romantic kisses that you would see in a play. All the soldiers clapped and whistled, while Abram stood patiently, that is until he felt that the kiss had gone on long enough and cleared his throat menacingly. When Terry didn't seem to pay attention to that, he stepped forward and tapped on his shoulder and said, "That has gone on enough, boy. I still can decide to hang you up by your ankles in the barn."

Terry slowly came up, and hoarsely said, "But I had to take advantage of your understanding spirit. Right, love?" he asked as he turned back to Cassandra who was still standing weakly in his grasp.

She nodded, "You never let us near each other."

Abram grunted as he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of Terry's embrace. "Enough of that, you two can last until your married." He turned to the sergeant in charge, "If you are done with us, I would like to get this stupid boy away from your men and their stupid ideas."

The soldiers laughed and started to walk away, the sergeant smiled and remarked, "Don't get to mad at them, they are bored and need something to talk about."

Abram still in the dutiful father mode, growled, "Not when it includes my daughter like that."

The sergeant waved him off and the three set down the road once again.

Once the checkpoint was out of site, Abram started laughing, Cassandra looked at him and drily remarked, "I am glad that you think what happened back there was so funny." She was trying hard not to look over at Terry.

Terry remarked, "I don't know, I enjoyed myself." That caused her to look over at him in surprise, he was looking at her oddly.

She blushed and quickly looked away from him. Trying to decide what to say, she found that both of them were looking at her. Annoyed she snapped, "What? It was a part that needed to be played. I just wish that Patrick were here so I could box his ears for doing that whole engaged thing."

A chuckle came from Terry as he murmured, "I don't know, I kind-of like it. It has some perks."

Sending a glare his way, Terry was saved from her heated answer by Abram laughing, "Oh, I can't wait to see John's face when he finds out what he missed."

Horror replaced the glare as Cassandra realized what he said, "Don't you dare tell him! He will have so much fun making fun of me!" Abram just continued laughing, "Abram! Don't you dare, I….. I forbid you from telling him." She desperately commanded him.

He just smiled at her, laughing the whole time. "How can I keep such a thing a secret? Oh, no. This little story needs to be told."

She looked at him, stunned. She turned to Terry trying to find some support but he smiled and shrugged, saying "I don't think we can stop him. He is having way too much fun at our expense."

Disgusted she moved her horse to a trot, riding ahead of them and vowed not to speak to either of them for the rest of the day.

What she found out after an hour of not speaking to them, is that she didn't have anything to distract her from thinking over the kiss. She found herself remembering how close they were and his lips moving over hers. She had gone weak from that, if his arms hadn't' been around her, she knew she would have fallen. That had never happened to her before. She had only a few other times to compare it too but those kisses with Luke had never left her like that.

She was trying to figure it out when she heard Abram caught up to her. Her stomach dropped when she caught that gleam in his eye. He asked her quietly so Terry wouldn't be able to hear, "I have to warn you, when I tell John. You should know that his first question is going to be, 'Who kisses better? Terry or Luke?'"

Sending his her fiercest glare before she turned to look at the road ahead was the only answer he shocked brain could think of.

She continued ignoring them through the rest of the day. In reality when she thought about it later that night she realized that it worked quite well with their plan. When they rode up to the inn, which was not far away from the meeting place, she had worked herself up to be quite mad at her two companions. The lady staff at the inn saw this and were quick to champion her, making it quite clear that the two men were not welcome in the common room. They quickly retreated to their rooms and nobody gave a second thought on why they didn't stay for dinner.

Considering that they both had teased her in their own way about the day's events, they were shocked about how she reacted. Terry thought for sure that she would have started arguing rather than go for the silent treatment. And after conferring with Abram after they retreated, he confirmed Terry's thought. It was unusual for her to act like this.

"Although, it gives us a good excuse to hide away in our rooms." Abram commented to Terry as they got ready to slip out through the window with their packs. "We can leave and hide these bags in case we need them if tomorrow's meeting goes sour."

* * *

Author's note- Sorry about the long wait, every time I sat down to write I would start thinking about one of my other stories that I am going through and editing and trying to make better. But I got this chapter out. Next chapter has the meeting in it, what do you think will happen there? Please review.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Terry laid in his bed looking as the growing light started to banish the shadows from the room. He was worried, he kept playing in his head the words John had said to him before they left the camp.

"_Archer, I am being serious to my core here. If that meeting goes astray, I am counting on you to get the Lady out. Don't worry about anybody else, you just concentrate on getting her to a safe place. Do you understand me?" He finished his eyes very serious with no glimmer of the twinkly that was usually always present in them._

_He had stood there for a few moments and then answered as serious as John, "I'll protect her with my life."_

_John merely said, "You better." before walking off. _

Terry was still amazed on how serious John had been, John was really worried, which made him even more nervous for the meeting today. He wondered why they were even bringing her into this situation. It would have been so easy to leave her. But they had agreed to be there, so there they were going to be.

Carefully climbing out of the bed, he gave up being able to go back to sleep, and got dressed. He slipped out of the room, so not to wake Abram up. He padded down the stairs, planning on sitting by the fire. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw that Cassandra had beaten him there. Carefully he walked over to her. Not even looking at him she softly snapped, "Don't dance around, just come and sit down."

He grinned at her, "Sorry, I just thought after yesterday, you might bite me if I came to close."

Cracking a smile when she heard that she remarked, "I don't feel like biting right now. I am not too angry at yesterday. I was being so gruff because of the surprise and Abram's teasing. Sorry if I was mean."

"I accept you apology and give you one of my own. I'm sorry I surprised you. I really didn't know how to properly ask you with all those guards around." Terry said with a polite tone.

Cassandra smiled at him and said wistfully, "A warning would have been nice." His only response was to smile and shrug. He sat down and stared at the fire, after a long moment he heard her whisper, "What do you think is going to happen today?"

Pausing for a long moment, he finally answered, "I don't know, but just know that I will be right by you the whole time."

"Is that because you have been threatened with your life by John?" Cassandra asked in a light tone.

With a smug look on his face he looked at her, "Yep, that's one of the reasons why," He paused watching her make a face before continuing, "And because I want to do it. I can't explain it but I have this feeling that if I let you out of my sight you'll get in trouble and I don't think that I could bear that."

Cassandra stuck her tongue out at him and pushed him on the shoulder as she protested that statement.

They were arguing over this when Abram came down the stairs, seeing them he commented, "It is good to see you two are talking to each other again. Yesterday was hard to watch."

"You don't seem to remember that you were the one that was causing all the trouble, Abram." Cassandra said in an annoyed tone.

He laughed and then wandered over to the kitchen to get breakfast.

They arrived almost an hour early to the meeting. None of them planned to be this early but they just couldn't sit at the inn and wait, so they now had to wait in a little clearing in the woods nearby. They spent some of their nervous energy walking around the clearing, marking where the best places to hide would be and where they could make a run from the clearing. Patrick and Jim showed up after they had been there almost 40 minutes. They chattered about their trips while keeping a look out for Jason and Chance. Cassandra was very relieved when Abram didn't make any mention about the kiss. A little voice in the back of her head knew that he would eventually but she was glad that it wasn't now, they needed to concentrate.

Finally ten minutes past the appointed time, They saw horses coming through the trees. Chance was leading the group with a dignified middle-aged man that she assumed must be Jason. Patrick scowled when he saw the man.

"I am so glad that you all could make it." The man proclaimed after he had dismounted his horse. "I hope the trip was uneventful." He and Chance started walking towards them leaving the five guards that had come with them back with the horses.

Patrick answered his voice poorly-concealing hate, "Jason, It has been a long time since I have seen you."

The man turned his dark eyes over to Patrick and commented, "Yes, it has been a long time. I almost thought you had forgotten all about me when I heard you were asking for help from all your other old friends but not from me. Why was that, Patrick?" He finished mockingly.

Shrugging, Patrick answered calmly, "I didn't think you would give us any help, so I thought I wouldn't waste my time."

"We used to be such good friends, I don't know why you would think that I couldn't help you." Came the oily answer.

Patrick smoothed his face and said innocently, "It must have been how we parted last time we met. If I remember right, you had me beaten by your thugs, then drugged, and then shipped off to be a slave in Plon. Waking up on that ship wasn't the best day of my life, I will have you know." He looked intently at Jason.

Jason made an angry face, before adopting his false cheery one, "I was hoping we could call that a mistake and move on with a partnership. After all you did escape."

Terry watched their verbal swordplay with awe. These two men clearly hated each other but they were playing nice in order to get something they wanted. Patrick wanted information on why Jason had called them there. He didn't quite know what Jason wanted yet. After continuing on for several more minutes they finally did some introductions. Jason politely nodded at each of them as they were introduced but when he got to Cassandra he leered. He finally realized that he had been caught staring before saying off-handily, "I have heard so much about you, My Lady. Although I wonder how much of it is just rumors now that I take a look at you." He then extended his hand for hers.

Cassandra ignored his hand and said coldly, "If this is all you have to say, then I am ready to leave, I did not come here to be treated like an idiot." She turned around and began walking back to her horse when he in panic called out, "I am sorry, My Lady. I can see now that you are much more than the rumors said."

She forced herself to turn around and come back to stand next to Terry. She made it a point to ignore Jason as the conversation continued.

"Pleasantries are over, Why are we hear Jason?" Patrick demanded him.

With a non-committal shrug, he clapped his hands and the five guards jumped into action, The four men jumped, then relaxed when they say that they were setting up a table and chairs. "Come and sit, It is always better to discuss business when we are comfortable."

Warily they all took a seat, Jim asked, "Did you come by earlier and drop of the table? Or do you just leave it here all year?"

Jason looked down his nose at him and replied, "You're Archer? Right?" Not even waiting for Jim's nod he continued, "I brought them earlier, I did think about conducting our business somewhere more convenient but we wouldn't have the great view." Then before anybody had a chance to speak he went on, "I asked you to come here because I am willing to help you. The King's Taxes and Guards are making it very hard for me to make a profit. It would be much better to have those out of the way."

"What do you want from us in return for your help?" Abram asked suspiciously.

Leaning forward on the table and cupping his chin with his hands he said very seriously, "Why all of you, of course."

"WHAT?" Patrick roared.

"I am going to turn in you five to the King and not only get the reward money that he has offered but also he is going to have his soldiers turn a blind eye to everything I do." Jason finished smugly.

"What will you tell the council when they hear that you betrayed us?" Patrick asked heatedly.

Jason shrugged, "I didn't do it, you were all caught before the meeting could happen, I showed up but none of you ever did."

They found themselves surrounded by Jason's guards, plus more that had just come out of the forest, when one of the guards grabbed Cassandra's arm, Chance plucked at Jason's sleeve and asked, "Are you going to let me have her before we hand her over to the King, like you promised?"

Jason looked at Chance and nodded, "I did promise you that because of your loyal work." He motioned for Chance to take charge of her. When Terry heard that he began to feel his blood boil, he fought his guards uselessly. To help calm him down, one of the guards punched him in the face, causing him to see flashes of white in his eyes. While he was gaining his bearings he heard a horn in the background and then he was released. With his blurry vision he saw more men coming into the clearing, he could hear Patrick yelling at him to take Cassandra and run. Terry ran over to where Chance and the guard holding Cassandra were. Ramming into Chance from behind and knocking him down also caused the guard to loosen his grip, allowing Cassandra to pull free. Terry caught Cassandra's hand and pulled her into the trees at the edge of the clearing. He madly rushed away from the sounds of people fighting, trying to convince himself that he wasn't being a coward for running away. He was getting Cassandra out of there, that was his job. He could hear Cassandra crying as she ran behind him. He stopped only when he couldn't run anymore because of the stitch in his side.

He finally let go of her hand as he clutched his side, trying to get his breathing under control. As he started to breathe normally he looked around, seeing if he could recognize where they were. To his surprise, he actually did, they were not too far off from where Abram and he hid the bags. He grabbed Cassandra's hand and pulled her to the hiding spot.

When they got there, Terry sat down and put his head in hands and was surprised that they came back wet. Wiping his cheeks he over at Cassandra not surprised that she was doing the same thing he just did. Feeling his gaze she looked over at him and asked, "Now what?"

* * *

Author's note- exactly…. Now what?... now that I have that chapter down and can get to some of the chapters that I have been wanting to write for quite a while. Thanks for the reviews Backroads and Duchess Delanie! You are Awesome!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Now what?"

Terry looked over at her pale face, "Let's stay here for a while to see if Abram comes to pick up his bag. I don't want to stay too long because we might have people looking for us." He paused thinking about all his late night conversations with John and Patrick. "John and Patrick told me that if we got separated that we should move on to the first meeting point and wait there. So let's stay here for another 30 minutes before moving on."

Cassandra looked blankly over at him and nodded. They sat there for what seemed like an eternity, then it was time for them to pick up their bags and move on. She looked at Abram's bag and asked, "Should we take it or leave it?"

"Leave it." Terry said over his shoulder, he was already on the move, "Abram might still come by and pick it up. Hurry up, so you don't get too far behind." He said distractedly.

After walking for almost an hour, Cassandra finally asked, "Do you think they are alright?"

Terry shrugged his shoulders, he didn't want to think about his friends that he left behind to make sure she was safe.

She stopped and demanded, "Why are you being so cold? Don't you care that we left friends back there?"

Terry stopped and slowly turned around to look at her, She was standing with her hands on her hips, and anger blazing in her eyes. Her expression softened for a moment as she caught the haunted expression in his eyes. Then it hardened again as she demanded, "If you feel that way, why did you leave them?"

His emotions were starting to come unbound, anger being the first one, "I didn't want to leave them, but I did because I promised that I would keep you safe. They can take care of themselves, we should see them at the meeting place. **Now come on**." The last part he was almost yelling but he didn't care, he was getting yelled at by the girl he was trying to keep safe and he still felt horrible for leaving everyone.

They walked for the rest of the day, in an anger-driven silence. The few words they spoken to each other came out as clipped barks that didn't help the current mood at all. By night time, they were both exhausted as they quickly set-up camp. Terry told Cassandra to get some sleep and he would wake her up to take a turn to keep guard when he was tired.

Cassandra woke up the next morning to find Terry asleep slumped up against a tree. Awakening some of her rage she opened her mouth to yell at him for falling asleep. She stopped at she looked at the side of his face, there was dried blood on it. She tried to remember when he had gotten hurt, then she remembered the guard hitting him as he tried to escape them yesterday. He had gone all day without even cleaning it, and she hadn't even noticed. He hadn't even noticed. Her anger melted away as she realized that it wasn't his fault that everyone seemed to think that she needed to be kept safe. Although she was relieved that she wasn't with that slime ball Chance at the moment, they had kept her safe from him. Cassandra in an attempt to make peace, started rummaging through the packs to make some breakfast before she woke up Terry. He needed the rest, especially if they were going to be walking all day, she wished that they could have grabbed the horses before running off, it would make traveling much easier.

She shook his shoulder to wake him, when he finally opened his eyes she told him to get up and moving, she had some breakfast of bread and sausage before they started moving for the day.

Terry noticed a difference with Cassandra when he had woken up, he decided to try and talk with her as he ate. "If we keep a good pace we should be at the meeting place by tonight."

"What is the meeting place exactly?" She asked.

"It is a farmer's barn that we passed on our way here." Terry answered her.

"Why didn't I know this before?"

Terry at least looked a little sheepish as he answered, "We didn't think you would need to know."

She found her anger rising again, "Why in the blessed world did you think I wouldn't need to know?"

"Well… we…. Thought that you would be with one of us, so we didn't worry you over it." He tried to explain, finishing with a nervous smile.

"What do you think would have happened if you hadn't been able grab me before fleeing? I would be by myself." She spat out.

Terry feeling his guilt and anger for leaving his friends come back, snapped back, "If I hadn't left with you, I would not have left them."

"Then why did you?" Her temper easing as she looked at his guilty eyes.

"People are… People are funny," He started, slumping back up against a tree, "They seem to think that if either one of us dies, or gets captured, then that is the end. Our little resistance falls." He looked away before continuing, "They don't realize or don't want to realize that we have a capable council that can actually think for itself. Everybody I saw in camp made me promise that I would bring you back. It was almost the only way they let us go." He finished with a ghost of a grin.

Cassandra wasn't quite sure how she felt about that and to keep herself from saying anything back that she might regret later, she grabbed a cloth from her bag and poured some water on it. Walking over to him she gestured that he turn his face, he looked at her surprised, she finally said, "You have a cut on your face from where the guard hit you yesterday. I just want to clean it."

Puzzlement, quickly replaced by realization as he touched his face was plain to read. "I had forgotten about that. Thanks." He muttered as she softly wiped away the dried blood.

"He must have been wearing a ring," She murmured as she cleaned it, "You probably won't be able to shave for a few days, while it heals." She commented, her other hand holding his chin, "You are probably going to get a beard like Abram, you're already on your way." She finished brushing her fingers against the day's worth of stubble he had, before laughing as she turned around to put everything away.

As he watched her get her pack ready, he brought his hand up to touch where she had brushed her fingers, fighting off the urge to blush. He stood up and got ready himself.

After they had walked for a while, Cassandra wanting to break the silence asked, "This is going to be the longest trip if we don't pass the time with some talking, Pick something to talk about." The last part came out as an order.

Terry laughed under his breath, "Let's see, How about you tell me about your part in the camp when Luke was still alive?"

She made a face and replied back, "Not right now, I will later. But first let's have dive into your past. I don't know much about you. When you were sent away, where were you?"

"I was sent to my Aunt's place. She is actually my father's sister, although they don't have much in common. She married a Baron and moved there when she was still very young. She has two daughters, Adele and Beth. Both are older than me, so I had two very bossy older sisters to keep me in line. We were all taught archery, I made a competition out of it and practiced until I knew I was better than Adele."He stopped and laughed, "I don't think she ever saw it like that, but all I knew is that I had to be better than her."

When he stopped talking for a long moment, Cassandra prompted, "What was your Aunt like?"

Losing himself in the memories of growing up to a very stern but fair Aunt he explained, "She was one not to be crossed, we learned to do everything by her exact standards, but we had fun too. There was a lot laughter in that home, which I missed after my mother had died."

Cassandra looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, "What was the King like before she died?"

After a long pause, Terry finally answered, "I don't remember much, I didn't get to see him often and when I did he usually ignored me and paid attention only to my mother. He used to laugh a lot when he was with her… he was devastated when she died."

"Is that what made him like he is now?"

"I don't think so," Terry answered, "He was sad and sent me away for some reason, but he wasn't mean. That happened after I believe."

Cassandra nodded, "I wonder if it was Lord Pos, then?"

"You think that Pos could have influenced my father so greatly?" Terry asked. "I know that guy is a snake but why would he listen to him?"

"I can't say for sure because I wasn't at the palace at the time, but I know that your father doesn't do anything without him. They are like two bullies that love to have everything their way." Cassandra answered.

Terry scowled, before shaking his head, "Anyway, let's talk about something else, something that is not quite so depressing." He thought for a moment, "I know I will tell you about something that happened when I was a child. When I was about eleven or so, Adele who was 14, challenged me to a horse race. The race was from the horse stable to the middle of the wood that is by the house. Adele always tells me that I remember it wrong but the way I remember it is that she cheated and started before me. In an attempt to make up for the lost time, I tried to take the short-cut through the woods. You haven't seen this short-cut but it had a nice path for awhile and then it got smaller and smaller until it disappears. From there you have to follow several landmarks to find the right places. Let's just say that I forgot what several of those landmarks were… Many hours later, I was still wandering through the woods trying to find anything that looked familiar. I was cold, dark, scared and hopelessly lost. And when they finally found me, Adele teased me mercilessly about getting lost until Aunt finally commanded her to stop."

He paused smiling at the memory, before saying, "Alright that was one memory from me, it is your turn to tell me about the camp."

Cassandra thought for a moment, "I don't remember saying anything about that…" She looked over at Terry who was smiling at her and she relented, "Alright, Alright. I will tell you how I got wrapped around with this scrabble of a camp. I was coming back from a trip and the carriage stopped, this was the second time in two days during this return trip that something like that had happened, so I remember being very nervous and hiding in the carriage not even brave enough to peak out the window as I heard shouting and fighting going on outside. The door opened and a man in a mask came in and quickly captured me. I was too afraid to give up much of a fight. A sack was thrust over my heard and I was carried off.

When the sack had been removed, all I saw from the blinding light was a halo of red hair and a quirky smile. I was so annoyed at that smile and being carried off, I forgot that I had been afraid and demanded to be let go. The man with red hair just laughed at me and walked out with me yelling at him.

The next person to come barging in was another red head, only this time it was an older woman. She was yelling at someone behind her. I was curious despite myself and tried to hear what she was yelling only to find myself enveloped in a hug. I couldn't see her face and was startled when she yelled in my ear. "I'm taking her!" The then led me out of that building and into another one.

That was when I finally got my first look at Red Sal. I wasn't allowed to leave her hut for almost a week. Several people came every day to visit me thought, and the first red head, whose name was Luke, came everyday. I have to say that he turned on the charm and I found myself around him more and more." Cassandra paused and looked around almost as if she was trying to decide what to say next.

She looked over at Terry and saw a look she couldn't quite interpret, he saw her looking and smiled at her, saying, "So that is how you first met him. What happened then?"

She looked away and quickly remarked, "I made friends in the camp, I think that qualifies as one story, so that means it is your turn."

Making a face, Terry decided not to fight this battle and let it slide, starting on another story from his childhood.

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Author's note- I don't really want to stop there but this chapter is bigger than I usually do, and it has been a while since I have posted. I hoped you enjoyed it. Please Review!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

They were both exhausted when they finally reached the barn where Terry had said the meeting spot would be. They slipped inside and looked around, Cassandra was disappointed when she found nobody there. She has been harboring a little hope that her friends would be there waiting for them. She sat down and leaned against the wall of the little barn and watched as Terry prowled around looking at the walls. He was half-way around the barn when he stopped and traced something on the wall. Curious, she asked, "What is it?"

Without looking at her, he said, "It is a sign that tells me that our friends are alive… or at least some of them."

She got up and went over to him and asked, "How do you know that?"

"Patrick showed me several marks that he uses," he stopped and pointed at the mark. "This one tells me that he and friends stopped here recently. Which is good news."

Cassandra nodded and looked closely at the scratched lines that made a squished oval with a pattern in it. "Really, it looks like a child could have drawn that." She stated.

"That is so people don't give it much regard." Terry started. "It also means that we should leave her tomorrow morning. They must have not felt it was safe to stay here and wait for us, so we shouldn't stay either."

Nodding Cassandra went back and sat down, she found herself already drifting off to sleep. Sleepily she said, "When I am more awake you need to show me all those signs Patrick taught you, then I can help you look for them." She barely caught Terry nod before her exhaustion caught up with her and she fell asleep.

The next three days fell into the same pace as the first day, lots of walking and lots of talking. Terry tried to get Cassandra to tell more about Luke but she was staying very stubborn, but she did tell him about her life before, and what she was like as a child. Terry also told more stories about when he was at his aunts' place.

The evening of the third day since they left the barn, Cassandra saw Terry with troubled look on his face, she had seen that look several times on his face over the last several days and finally asked, "What is the matter?"

He looked at her surprised, and asked, "What?"

"You looked like you were thinking of something troubling, what was it?" She clarified.

"I've just been doing a lot of thinking about my father, and I am remembering things that I think should have stayed forgotten." Terry said sadly.

"Would it help you to talk about them?" She asked.

The silence stretched out for so long that she was beginning to think he wasn't going to answer. She had looked away when she heard an answer, "It isn't very clear in my head, I just see bits and pieces and I can't make sense of it. But one that is very clear is my mother telling me when I was young, that I should never do anything to make my father mad at me. It doesn't make sense maybe I'll remember a bit more and then I'll tell you when I can make heads or tails out of it."

Cassandra looked behind her to his worried face and wanted to get his mind off these troubling thoughts. She smiled as she saw him itching at cheek underneath his growing beard. Laughing she teased, "Does you new-found beard itch?"

He scowled at her and just stuck his tongue at her.

That caused her to laugh more, she teased, "Oh, you may find it annoying but I am the one who has to look at it. I think I will be happier than you when you can finally shave it off." She laughed at his shocked face and turned around to go to her pack leaning up against a tree.

She was still laughing over her teasing so she didn't hear him come up until he had wrapped his arms around her, effectively trapping her arms to her side. "What?" She shouted in surprise.

"Take it back." She heard him growl in her ear.

"Let me go." She answered squirming in his grasp.

"Not until you take it back."

"No." She simply said.

She felt rather than heard his laughter resounding through her back, "Since you like my whiskers so much, here they are for you."

Then along her sensitive neck she felt him rub his check, tickling her with his beard. "Neh," She protested as she tried to wiggle away from him. His arms tightened and he tickled her again. "Let…me…go." She complained as she was breathing heavily from her attempts to get away.

"Not until you take it back." He said, she felt his breath whisper across her neck, as he scratched his beard on her neck again.

"Alright, Alright. I am sorry I teased you about how your whiskers itched." She spoke fast in an attempt to keep him from doing it again, which he did. "I said it…" she started to protest.

"There was something else that you need to say, itsn't there." He stated. "Let me hear it."

"Ack," She squeaked as she tried in vain to pull her neck away from his tickling. "Alright….. Your beard makes you look ruggedly handsome, do you hear that….. ruggedly handsome."

"Thank you," he said as he finally straightened out and let her go. "I am definitely handsome, thank you for saying so." He said with a smile on his face as he went back to his pack to pull out some dinner.

Cassandra couldn't help smiling at him and shaking her head, as she put a hand to rub the place on her neck that he had touched.

The next morning they woke up to overcast skies. Cassandra looked over at Terry and asked, "How far away is the town we are heading for?"

Terry shrugged and guessed, "I think we can make it before nightfall. Hopefully it doesn't rain to hard. Let's go and try and beat the rain."

It was early afternoon when the rain started to mist. Two hours later, it started to sprinkle. An hour after that it was pouring. They were thoroughly soaked when they finally reached the inn after nightfall.

Walking into the little inn, they were greeted by a scowling older lady, who just took one look at them and gruffly said, "We only have one room left, dinner has been cleaned up so you won't get any of that." She motioned for them to follow her up the stairs and to a room at the end of the hallway. She opened the door and in her gruff voice explained, "A drying rack is by the bed, and you have to come down to get breakfast." She then turned and left them dripping water outside the room.

Cassandra entered first, followed by Terry. They both looked around the little room, before dumping their packs on the chairs in the corner. As they emptied their packs, Cassandra mentioned, "I was hoping for the ability to get a bath here, and try and get clean." She started pulling out her extra clothes and found them as soaked as she was. "And there goes the hope of dry clothes, as well" She wistfully added.

Terry found that his clothes were in the same shape and answered, "Let's get them on the drying rack and hope that they can get somewhat dry by tomorrow, which I doubt because this room seems cold."

Finding a shirt that was dryer than the one he had on and some breeches, he saw that Cassandra had found a light undershift that was somewhat dryer as well. He found his cheeks getting warmer as he realized that they had to change in the same room. Cassandra smiled when she saw him and pointed to the blanket on the bed and told him to hold it up so she could change behind it. He quickly went and got the blanket, held it up, and even closed his eyes just in case, while she changed. She then did the same thing for him.

After that they both looked at the one blanket and the one bed, Terry volunteered to go and see if he could at least get more blankets.

It took longer to wheedle two more blankets, than he thought, out of the gruff innkeeper, when he finally came back into the room he found Cassandra in her light shift with her arms around her as if she were trying to stop the shivering that he could see across the room. She also had a lost desperate look on her face. He took one of the blankets and put it around her shoulders, she took the blanket but didn't seem to see him. Confused by this, he cautiously put a hand on her shoulder and gave a little shake, "Lady, are you alright?" he asked. Her face turned to him, her eyes not really seeing him, before she shook her head and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I was in a different place." She apologized as she shivered again.

"Tell me about it." He said with his eyes concerned.

Shivering she said, "I was back in the prison cell. I was wet when I was thrown in there and it was a cold, damp place. You couldn't get warm. Right now reminds me of that. I am so cold not even this blanket is helping."

Terry took his other blanket, threw it his shoulders, and wrapped his arms around her, encircling them both in it. He could feel her body shaking as she put her head on his chest. As he held her longer he could feel the shaking becoming less and less until they stopped. He looked down at her and saw that her eyes were closed, "Lady," He whispered smiling, "did you fall asleep on me?" when there was no answer, he wondered what to do next. There was only one bed, so he would put her on the bed and use the extra blanket to sleep on the floor. Gently he scooped her up, laid her in the bed, and tucked the two blankets around her.

He made his bed on the floor and was about to crawl into it when he heard a stifled gasp. Concerned, he stood back up and went over to the bed. He could see the blankets shivering around her. He put his hand carefully on her white face and found it was still very cold. He knew that the fastest way to warm her up, (and himself) was to use their combined body heat. Grimacing at what her reaction would be when she woke up, he grabbed the blanket off the floor and eased himself in next to her. As he drifted off to sleep he felt her body stop shaking and smiled.

The first thing that she was aware of as she began to wake up was that she was warm, the second was her back was curled up against somebody else., she could feel their light breathing on her neck. She twisted her head around and saw what she already knew, that it was Terry. The third thing she felt was that his arm was wrapped around her waist, keeping her close to him. Her mind flashed back to the night before where she was having those horrific flashbacks because of the cold, Terry comforted her and they probably both fell asleep like that. She thought about being mad over him doing that, but those thoughts only lasted a few seconds before she decided she didn't care. She was warm, comfortable, and she felt safe with his arm around her like that. Cassandra snuggled back down under the blankets and felt his arm tighten around her. Sleepily she put her hand over his and intertwined her fingers with his, before falling back to sleep.

The first thing Terry was aware of was how close she was to him when he opened his eyes. He stopped himself barely from jerking back, not wanting her to wake up. He panicked, trying to think how she got so close. He was next to her when he fell asleep but not this close with his arm around her. He definitely needed to move before she woke up. He tried to pull his hand back and discovered that her fingers were intertwined with his. He froze, warring with himself. Part of him wanted to snuggle back around her and fall asleep, the more logical part was screaming at him to get up and move before she woke up and was mad at him.

He stood there frozen for a very long moment before his logical side won and he carefully moved himself out from under the blankets and tucked them in around her.

He then felt his was over the small window and peaked through its covering. The sun blinded him, it was definitely morning. Leaving the covering back a bit, so a small sliver of light came into the room so he could see. He went over to the clothes on the rack and felt them. Groaning under his breath at how wet they still were, he grabbed one of Cassandra's dresses and padded softly to the door. Sneaking out and down the stairs, he found that the common room was still rather empty and the grumpy innkeeper was not at the counter. In her place was a young pretty girl.

She turned brightly to him and stated, "You must be one of the people Mother brought in last night. My name is Alice." She then noticed the dress in his hands and asked, "Is there something I can help you with?"

Surprised at how different she was than her mother he just stared for a moment before answering, "Kayla's dresses are drenched from the rain yesterday, I was wondering if you had a place that could dry this one out for her, so she could wear it."

"Of course, I am surprised you didn't ask last night, then it would be already dry." Alice caught the look on his face and laughed, "Then again, I can see why you didn't ask. Mother can be difficult sometimes." She took the dress from him and disappeared through the door to the kitchen. Terry stood around wondering whether he should get breakfast now or wait for Cassandra. His dilemma was solved when Alice came out with a tray full of food, "This is for you to take up to Kayla and yourself. I understand how she wouldn't want to come down in a wet dress. I will bring up the dress once it dries." Terry took the tray and headed back up the stairs.

He was surprised to see her up and standing in front of the window with a blanket wrapped around her. Chuckling to himself he said before thinking, "I can't see how you could still possibly be cold." Then realizing what he said, he blushed.

Taking pity on him, she ignored his red cheeks and replied, "I am a little, I didn't want to get up." Eyeing the tray in his hands she thought out loud, "I thought that the grumpy lady said that we had to go downstairs for breakfast."

"She did, but she wasn't down there this morning, her daughter was. She said that she would dry out the dress I gave her so you don't have to wear a wet dress and gave me this so you could stay up here." Terry explained.

"That was nice of her." Cassandra said as she sat down and grabbed a strawberry off the tray. "What is the plan for today?" She asked.

Terry sat down and helped himself to some of the breakfast before answering, "I think I would like to stay here for the day. It would give us a chance to dry everything out, you could have your bath, and I can see if we can get us some horses for the rest of our trip."

Smiling at the thought of both a bath and horses she nodded agreeing with the idea to stay another night.

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Author's note- thanks for reviewing Backroads! And no I didn't mean to make you feel sympathy for the King, it just happened that way. :) He is still evil. ;)

Please tell me what you think!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

After breakfast Cassandra ordered for a tub of hot water to be brought up for bath and Terry went out into the town to see if he could find any of Patrick's friends. As he wandered around the market and the little shops that dotted the center of town he was surprised how many soldiers were patrolling the street. He hoped he was acting normal as he was looking around, he didn't want to be suspected of anything.

He finally found a cobbler that had the right mark on his door. He went in and looked around until a little man came up to him and asked. "Can I help you, good sir?"

Terry smiled at him and made a quick gesture with one of his hands and replied, "I have been told that you are the person to see for shoes."

The man smiled back and said, "Patrick must have told you that, he came through here a few days ago, you know. Wish you could have been there to see."

"I would have loved to see Patrick." Terry answered, "It is too bad I missed him. Maybe if I could get some horses I could catch up to him."

The little man nodded and remarked, "I can pass on some coins that have come to me recently- but you'll have to ask Mary at the inn for the horses."

"Mary?" Terry asked confused.

"The mean old lady, you can't miss her." The man explained.

"Oh…. Her…." Terry stammered, "You tell me she is friends with Patrick?"

"From what I hear they have been friends for years."

""I'll have to ask him about that." Terry remarked as the little man disappeared and then reappeared. A small purse exchanged hands and Terry bid him good-bye and left to wander around, to buy some supplies before heading back to the inn.

He was almost to the inn when two soldiers stopped him and asked for his papers. As they looked the papers, Terry inspected the soldiers and thought if they hadn't been wearing uniforms he would have mistaken them for farmers.

"This says that you are traveling with your fiancé, where is she?" One of them asked.

"She is at the inn, resting." Terry explained.

The soldiers smiled sweetly and nodded before handing his papers back to him. "Then you should get back to her."

Terry thanked them and continued on to the inn, his heart thumping. When he got back to the room he knocked, and Cassandra opened it. She gave him a questioning look as he came in.

"I have some information, We need to find Mary."

Cassandra looked at him confused, "Whose Mary?"

"The grumpy lady who let us in last night." Came the reply.

"Really? And why do we need to find her?" She asked.

"Because she is going to get us two horses. She is Patrick's friend in this town." Terry answered, before pausing for a moment to think. "It makes me wonder again who Patrick truly is." He looked questionably at her. She gave him a blank look and shrugged her shoulders. Giving her a disgusted look he said, "Fine, keep your secrets."

"It is not my secret to give. Ask Patrick." Cassandra replied.

"Now I have to ask John _**and**_ Patrick something." Terry exclaimed exasperated.

Curious, Cassandra began to ask, "Ask what?... never mind. Let's go find Mary."

It didn't take long for them to find Mary because she was serving lunch. They ate and then lingered and waited for her to be done cleaning the table.

"I have a question for you, Mary." Terry called.

"hmph." Was her answer.

"I have a good friend who I am trying to find. I understand you might have seen him a few days ago." Terry said conversationally.

"Who are you looking for?" Mary asked bluntly.

"Patrick."

"Patrick? I don't know anybody named Patrick." Mary answered him.

"Are you sure?" Terry pressed. "Tall man, about my height. Blond hair, blue eyes? Hard to miss."

"I'm sure." She said pointedly.

Terry narrowed his eyes and reached in his pocket and pulled out a coin that flashed silver and put it in her hand. "Are you sure?" He asked again.

"I think I remember him now. " She answered thoughtfully, "What do you want with him?"

"We're trying to catch up with him. Two horses would help that endeavor." Cassandra answered that question.

With a thoughtful look on her face she said, "It will take more than a silver pfennig to get two horses. I hope you realize that." Terry smiled and began to bargaining with her.

Cassandra was in high hopes as they set out the next morning. With horses they would be able to reach the camp in three days. She was excited to get back to camp, she missed her friends there. Although she learned a lot about Terry and was enjoying her time with him, it just seemed to be getting more and more awkward around him. Things that seemed so normal a week ago now made her uncomfortable. His smile, his hazel eyes twinkling when he laughed. Yes, she would be glad when she was back at camp. What she didn't realize was that Terry was thinking about the same thing.

When they finally reached camp late afternoon on the third day, they were welcomed back with a hero's welcome. Cassandra disappeared in red Sal's arms as soon as she got off the horse. When she looked over at her traveling companion she saw that John had draped his arm around Terry's shoulders and was whispering something in Terry's ear while Terry's face went red with a blush. Terry pushed John away and muttered something while John laughed. Cassandra was curious about what joke John was playing now but couldn't get herself away from Sal. She was led around the rest of the night by Sal. Sal took her to Abram's hut, where he was recovering from a wound to his stomach that he had received in the fight from the fateful meeting.

"Oh, Abram." Cassandra sighed as she sat down by his bed and picked up his hand to squeeze.

Abram opened his eyes and smiled at her, "Lady, you finally made it back. We have been waiting for you for several days. Is Terry that bad at following a map?"

That caused a watery smile out of Cassandra as she replied, "You must have had horses. I want to make a complaint with whoever made our travel arrangements for forgetting that we needed them too."

Abram chuckled softly, "At least you're back safe."

"Yes, we made it back. Now you just have to get better, alright." She commanded him.

"As the lady commands." Abram joked as she left him to get some sleep.

Cassandra had planned after seeing Abram to go and talk to Patrick and John, but after coming out of Abram's hut, she found all the fatigue of the journey building up on her and she just wanted to get some sleep.

Terry's eyes followed Cassandra and Red Sal as they headed back to the little hut that Cassandra used. He was relieved that she was getting some well deserved sleep. He wanted to head to his bed for the same thing when he was ambushed by both Patrick and John. Terry saw that like Abram, Patrick had some wounds, Patrick's arms were heavily bandaged.

"Well, Archer." Patrick had a teasing grin on his face, "I hear from Abram that you had a very interesting trip on the way there. So how was the trip?"

Terry smiled back and replied, "It was very enlightening. I have to say that I enjoyed the trip there, it was much better than the trip back."

"You mean, there wasn't anything noteworthy about the trip back that you would like to tell us." John said with a smile.

Terry's thoughts raced to that morning when he had awoken with Cassandra curled up next to him but he knew that telling these two would just make more trouble so he answered with a innocent look on his face, "No, there was a lot of walking until we finally got some horses. By the way Patrick, How do you know Mary? She was the one we got our horses from?"

Patrick's face smile slide off his face and he asked, "Mary? From the inn near the town Tenner? That Mary?" Terry nodded. "Of course, you would have had to go through her. Did you get the money I left with the cobbler?"

"Yes, it helped a lot. It was the cobbler who told us to ask Mary for the horses." Terry answered. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, It just means that I owe Mary another favor. And she loves it when I owe her favors. Hopefully it won't be like the last time." Patrick shivered before smiling back at Terry, "So nothing else happened?"

"Nothing." Terry responded.

"Well, tell us anyways about your boring trip then." John said good-naturedly clapping him on the back as they walked towards the fire.

Cassandra walked around the next day, glad to be back. She missed the bustle of the camp. Even though today was busier than usual, to celebrate her and Terry's safe return, they were planning on having a dance that evening, with food and music, the works she was told. She had also been told that she couldn't help in any way. So it left her to walk around aimlessly and take in the sights and sounds around her. Her feet inevitably led her to the archery range where she saw Terry with his bow and arrow practicing. She froze and watched as he gracefully pulled out arrow after arrow and shot them, never missing.

Only when he was out of arrows did he turn around and realize that she was there watching him. "Hello," he said surprised, "You should have told me you were there. Did you get kicked out of all the preparations for the celebration tonight, too?"

She smiled and nodded to his question. "I didn't mean to startle you, it just is amazing to watch you shot like that. You don't miss."

He smiled and shrugged, "Just a moment, let me go grab the arrows and I will be right back. Hold this, please." He handed her his bow and went jogging off to the targets to pull the arrows out of them.

Cassandra watched him as he quickly pulled out the arrows and then came jogging back to her. With a smile she handed him back his bow. He looked at her with the question 'did she want to practice' in his eyes. She shook her head and said, "Maybe later."

"You won't get any better if you don't practice, My Lady." He responded.

"I know, I just don't feel like practicing right now. Tomorrow morning I will start back up." Cassandra promised.

"Alright." Terry conceded. "Are you excited about the dance tonight?" He asked.

She looked over at him and saw that he wasn't even looking at her, she smiled and answered, "Yes, in a way I am. Red Sal always out does herself when it comes to the food."

Terry looked over at her with a look of mild surprise. "You're excited for the food?" he asked.

Shrugging her shoulders she commented, "The dancing can be fun too, it is not like dancing at Court. You can dance with anybody you like."

He smiled at her, "That's more like it, because I expect a dance or two, out of you."

"I would be honored to fulfill such a request." She said in her best court drawl, while doing a full curtsy.

That caused Terry to start laughing, his look of enjoyment caused shivers to go down her back. She had a brief flashback as she remembered seeing a very similar look on Luke's face. She forced it back as she bantered back and forth with Terry as they walked around the camp admiring the preparations for the celebration that night.

Several hours later, Cassandra leaned up against one of the many tall trees that surrounded the camp. She was feeling guilty, as she went around the camp with Terry she found herself remembering similar moments that she had with Luke. She once thought herself to be falling for Luke, and now she found herself knowing that she was falling in love with Terry. Was she disgracing her memories with Luke by being with Terry? She was wallowing in these thoughts for quite a while when Red Sal came and sat down next to her.

"What's the matter, child?" Sal asked her concerned.

Cassandra just shook her head, not knowing what to say.

"I know you are feeling guilty about something." Sal said, "I can see it in your eyes." She stopped for a long moment as she studied Cassandra's face. "Is it something about Luke?"

Cassandra winced before she could stop herself.

"Ah," Red Sal continued, "I think I know what it is. It is about Archer and Luke isn't it?"

Wincing again, Cassandra asked, "How did you know?"

"I have been watching the two of you. The way you look at each other when the other is not watching is how I know." There was another pause, "Do you feel guilty about Luke because of your growing feelings for Archer?"

"What do you mean?" Cassandra asked hoping that she wouldn't have to say it.

"You know what I mean, You feel bad because you love somebody else instead of Luke. You feel like you have been fickle. That you shouldn't love somebody else, right?" Cassandra gave a small nod and Sal continued, "Listen to me, my child. You shouldn't feel guilty. My son is gone, has been for over two years. He can't give you anything back, but there is a man here that can. I hope you will think about that." Sal finished before getting up and walking back towards camp.

Cassandra sat there thinking about how well Red Sal knew her, and was wondering what she should do when she saw another shadow approach her. She looked up to see John coming up to sit by her with a face cracking grin on his face.

"What do I owe this pleasure, John?" She asked him.

"I have a question for you." He said with a smirk.

Cassandra groaned and replied, "I guess you have been talking with Abram."

Chuckling John nodded, "And I have a very important question for you." He paused and looked at her before asking, "Who kisses better Luke or Archer?"

She felt her face begin to get warm and she pushed John away, "I didn't tell Abram and I am certainly not going to tell you." She said curtly.

"I'll take that as Archer was better." John said with an even bigger grin.

In spite of the growing blush across her cheeks she shrugged her shoulders and off-handily commented, "You can believe whatever makes you happy, John. As for me, I think I am going to go see if it is time for dinner." With that she rose off the ground and left John chuckling.

She hadn't made it very far before she ran into Archer. He looked at her nervously before asking, "I saw that John had cornered you too. Did he have fun laughing at us?"

Laughing she answered, "John always has fun, and yes I do believe that we are providing him with excellent material for him to use."

Archer laughed with her before holding out his arm, "May I escort you to the celebration, My Lady?"

"Of course you may. Thank you for being so considerate." She said in a mocking tone, as she took his arm. She allowed herself to be led over to the square where all the preparations were being made.

The music had already started by the time they got there, so Terry smiled and held out his arms beckoning her to dance. Giving him a curtsy she accepted and was swung into the throng of people.

They laughed and danced until their stomachs grumbled, and they went in search of some dinner. They had just sat down when Tobias came up to them and whispered that they were needed by the council.

With confused expressions they slipped out of the crowd and followed Tobias to meet with the council. They were met by grim faces.

"What is the matter?" Cassandra asked concerned.

"We just received word that the King just attacked the towns of Tenner, Cecia, and Darb. He doesn't need any excuse to attack he just is." Max said angrily.

"Really? Just attacking? Is he giving any reasons?" Terry asked.

This time Patrick answered, "We just heard from a messenger from Cecia. The reason stated was because they helped rebels escape."

"What should we do now?" Tobias softly asked.

Everyone was silent for a long time as they tried to process the new predicament that they were in.

"I think I might have an idea." Cassandra said uncertainly, "but I know that you are not going to like it." Her face was timid.

"Why wouldn't we like it?" Terry demanded.

She grimaced and then said very fast, "Because it would involve me getting caught."

* * *

Author's note- Sorry about the very slow update. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please review!


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The room erupted with protests that didn't fade for quite some time. When the roar had diminished to a point where Cassandra knew she could be heard she continued in a loud voice, "Think about it from a strategy viewpoint. It would cause a distraction. Hopefully a distraction large enough that we can sneak our forces into the castle and end this once and for all."

Terry looked at her with a set face and shook his head, "No, Lady we cannot have you put yourself in so much danger. And that is final, we will come up with another way."

Trying not to show her anger for not even thinking about her idea she sat down and listened to them bounce ideas back and forth, rather unsuccessfully too. Her anger mounted again when they ended the meeting for the night to get some sleep. She walked out ignoring any attempts to get her attention from any of the men. She paced around the dark camp and considering everything that had made her mad. They didn't even stop and think about her idea they just said no as soon as they found out there was some risk to her. She wouldn't have minded so much if they had thought of another idea but they didn't. They needed to end this before more innocent villagers got hurt. Why couldn't the council see that?

She was stopped from her pacing when somebody approached her, as they got closer she realized that it was John. "I don't feel like talking to you John." She said curtly before turning around to walk off. John caught her arm and calmly replied, "I know that you are mad because we couldn't listen to your idea. I think it happens to be the best idea we have at the moment. But convincing the council particularly Archer is going to be hard. They don't want to see you hurt."

"I don't want to see anyone else hurt because of this. If we sit here and do nothing people out there will get hurt. I just want to end this so we can start rebuilding." She answered.

"Talk to Archer, if you can convince him, then everyone will follow along. But he is going to be a hard on to crack. Good Luck." John finished as he walked off into the darkness leaving Cassandra alone again.

Cassandra winched she knew that she had very little chance of convincing Terry. To have any luck she was going to have to have this plan with solid. She considered a moment and then went to go find Patrick.

He was still in the council room staring absently at the wall, when she came in he looked at her with raised eyebrows. She smiled crookedly at him and asked, "How many guards at the King's castle would you say are with us?"

Patrick shrugged his shoulders and with a calculating look on his face, "Not very many, or at least not very many that I know of. Given the recent events we may have an easy time turning some of them."

Processing this she asked him, "Does your sister know many of them?"

He nodded his head, "Yes, Marisa has been doing a good job of recruiting those who are not happy. Where is this going?"

"I am thinking of a plan." She said innocently.

"This is not the same plan who Archer, said absolutely not too, is it?" he said with narrowed eyes.

"I could say that it was a different one but then I'd be lying and I don't like lying to you." Cassandra replied nonchalantly.

Patrick chuckled under his breath, "How are you going to get Archer to approve it?"

"er, I don't know exactly. I thought I would just try and figure it out right now." She answered.

"Tell me then what are you thinking."

"I was wondering if we could have these guards of Marisa's help us smuggle people into the castle. Do you think that could happen?"

Patrick slowly nodded, before answering, "Yes, we could manage that. But where do all these people stay once they are in the castle. The castle isn't that big."

"That is where one of Archer's old friends comes in. We will need the help of the nobles stuck in the castle."

"What?" Patrick came to attention looking at her sharply.

"It is about time that they helped us." Cassandra replied in a unshaken calm. "They can hide them in their rooms and with their servants. Is Lauren and Sarah still working in the kitchens there?"

Patrick nodded with a smile on his face.

"Get a message to them to ask Sam Cont if it is possible for him and his friends to hide our little group of invaders."

"What is going to keep The King from noticing there are too many people in the castle?" Patrick asked.

"That is where I come in. I am going to led the King on a merry goose chase for a couple of days, giving you a distraction to sneak people in to the castle. When he catches me and brings me back to the castle, we should be able to close the trap." Cassandra explained.

"If we couple the fight in the castle with a riot in the town at that same time, we will be able to split the guards in two. Evening the odds a bit." Patrick mumbled following her line of thought.

"Exactly. Do you think we could do it?" Cassandra asked him.

He looked up at her and smiled, "Yes, My Lady. With some planning I think that this will work." The smile disappeared before he remarked, "But you have to convince Archer to let us do it. I don't think he will. Not with you being the bait."

Cassandra made a face and replied, "If we plan everything correctly, we should be able to limit the time that I am captured to less than a day, don't you think?"

Not sure, Patrick answered, "Maybe. We would have one tight schedule if we did that though."

"Think about it, Patrick." Cassandra said, "I will try in the morning to convince our stubborn little Archer."

Cassandra walked up to the Archery range early the next morning knowing she would find Archer there, and she wasn't disappointed.

"Morning," She called to him as she approached.

He looked over at her and then scowled at her and went back to his shooting.

"I take it you're still mad about the plan thing from last night." She stated innocently. His only answer was a grunt. "Yup, definitely still mad." She muttered before taking a deep breath and going for it said, "I know you're still mad, and what I am going to say has a high probability of making you madder, but I want you to at least listen to me until I have told you the whole thing." She paused, letting the words sink in before continuing. "I want to use that name spell against them. I will use my name to lead the King on a goose chase for several days. While I am distracting him on this goose chase. Marisa, some of her friends in the guard, and your friend Duke Cont will help smuggle some of our forces into the castle, and help hide them. Then I let myself be captured, when they bring me back to the castle, we will fight the King and win. Of course a riot in the town will help confuse things even more." She added at the end.

Looking over at Terry's face she realized that he was now very mad.

"You want me to allow you to be chased around the country, and then be captured by a man who has already tried to kill you….. twice!" He spat out.

With a thoughtful look on her face she asked him, "Twice? I thought that he has only tried to kill me once. When was the second time?"

That answer caused Terry to start sputtering curses. "He tried to hang you, and then you almost died from that coughing sickness. That is twice."

"I don't know if we can really consider the sickness an attempt to kill me, it was more a side effect." She answered calmly knowing that all she was doing at the moment was making him madder.

It worked too, Terry went even redder and couldn't even talk for a moment. "I …will …not …endanger …your… life." He finally got out.

"And I will not stand by and allow this mad man to attack innocent villagers in his attempt to get at us. Don't you realize that we need to end this now?" She finally began to argue with him.

"And how will risking your life help that?" He asked.

"Were you even listening to my explanation a moment ago. It has everything to do with it. I am currently the only one who could distract him like we need him to be distracted. If we plan this out carefully I will only be in his custody for maybe a day." Cassandra spat at him.

"All he needs is a few moments with you for you to be dead." Terry started.

"Oh, no. Think about it. The King wants revenge and a very showy death for me. He will drag it out. A day isn't long enough for him to do that." She explained.

"I can't believe I am here talking to you about how the King wants to kill you." Terry said hysterically.

"I need you right now to start thinking with this," she said exasperated, tapping on his head, "and stop using this." And she laid her hand on his chest above his heart.

He put his own hand above hers and looked at her with a pained look, "You're asking me to send the single most important person in my life to what could be her death, do you know how hard it is not to think with your heart in that type of situation?"

She was stunned for a moment as the meaning of his words took effect over her. She could feel herself blushing, and finally said, "Then I will just have to promise you that I will not die." Then continuing on with levity that she didn't feel, "Just think, a week from now we could be calling you King Archer, instead of just plain old Archer."

She felt his half-hearted laugh resound through her hand that was still on his chest. Her own heart was pounding she hadn't realized that Terry had been feeling the same things she had been.

Still looking at her intently, "You're set on going through with this."

She nodded.

"Then let's get it done with, before I change my mind." Terry said as he dropped his hand that had been covering hers then turned and walked away, leaving her standing there too shocked to move.

* * *

Author's note- Yup, you heard right Duchess Delanie "Caught" Although you will have to wait and see what exactly happens in their marvelous plan of theirs. Stay tuned, I want to get this story done so hopefully I will have another chapter up soon!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Terry walked away from Cassandra groaning with full realization of what he had just admitted. He wasn't going to tell her that, but she had made him so blazing angry and then when she accused him of only thinking with his heart he blurted out what came to his mind first. He wasn't even quite sure what she thought of him. His mind went back to a conversation that he had with John after they returned from their trip.

_John smiled wickedly at him and leaned over and asked, "I heard about something from Abram. He was hoping that you could tell me about it."_

_Terry had just ignored him, knowing that he would never hear the end of it, if he gave into John now._

"_Come on, Archer." John pleaded with that wicked twinkle in his eye, "Please tell me about it."_

"_No, John. I know you too well to say anything." Terry answered._

_John pouted for a moment trying to think of another angle to try._

_Terry then asked, "Abram told me an interesting story about how Luke and the Lady first met. But he refused to tell me, he told me to ask you. Could you tell me this story?"_

_The twinkle came back into John's eye as he shook his head, "I am sorry, but I can't tell you that…"He held up a hand to forestall Terry's protests, "Unless you answer some questions for me."_

_Terry narrowed his eyes, "How many questions?"_

"_Five."_

"_No, I will only answer one question." Terry answered._

"_Four questions." John bargained. _

"_I will only answer two questions and that is it, John." Terry stated._

_After a few moments of bargaining it was decided on three questions. Terry insisted that he hear John's story first._

"_The story begins with Me, Luke, and another man called Barry were getting supplies in the town by where the Lady lives. She happened to be in town for some reason and Luke was smitten at first sight. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. I tried to distract him, but he was too focused. Right then and there he tried to kidnap her. Which failed of course. Which began the hunt." John paused for a moment. "It was only after he took her that he came up with the reason that he took her because of her father." He sighed. John looked over at Terry and added, "After she was in the camp he began to lay on the charm. Which was easy, because Luke was handsome." _

_Terry made a face and asked, "So how did she respond to it?"_

_John grinned at Terry and answered, "I think she liked the attention." John paused long enough to grin even more at Terry's discomfort before going on, "She is a hard one to read, she masks her feelings well, remember that Archer. If you want to know exactly what was going on in-between those two you will have to ask her. Now for my three questions."_

"_Wait! That's it?" Terry demanded._

"_Yep, that's it."_

"_The way Abram kept going on and on, I thought that there would be more." Terry demanded._

"_No, I think Abram was just having fun teasing you. So my first question is, What happened between you and Cassandra on the way to the meeting?"_

"_Probably the same thing that Abram told you." Terry said drily, "We were stopped at a checkpoint, the soldiers didn't believe that we were engaged, they requested a sign of affection, so we exchanged a kiss. That's all."_

_John gave him a look that said he wasn't satisfied with the answer, "I heard the kiss was more than that." He prompted._

"_Was that a question?" Terry asked calmly._

_Annoyed John said, "Yes, it was."_

_Terry smiled, "It was as long as I could make it before Abram stepped in."_

_John grinned again, "I knew it, I knew it. How did the Lady take it?"_

"_And there is the third question, She took it as well as could be expected, she got mad at us and refused to talk to either of us, even after we reached the inn that night." Terry explained._

"_You are purposely not answering these questions the right way!" John exclaimed annoyed at Terry._

_Terry burst out laughing, nodding his head. "Of course."_

_John started to chuckle as he saw the joke himself._

Terry jerked out of his memory and found himself already out the council hut. He gave himself a moment to collect himself before going in and telling them that he agreed to go along with Cassandra.

* * *

The preparations when fast. In hours everyone in the camp had heard of what was going to happen. A day later, everything was ready for Cassandra to leave. Since her fiery conversation with Terry she hadn't talked to him. She was still unsure of what to tell him. She knew she liked him, she missed talking to him, she could feel that it might be more than that or could become more. What she was feeling was so similar to what she felt for Luke that it left her confused. Since she was going to be leaving early in the morning Cassandra knew that she needed to talk to Terry before she went to bed.

She found him on the outskirts of camp looking out into the forest. He saw her as she approached but he stayed annoyingly quiet as she came and sat next to him and waited, when the silence had became too uncomfortable she said, "So I leave tomorrow to go to my father's home."

Terry stayed silent for a moment and then asked, curious, "Why do you say your father's home? Isn't it yours as well?"

She looked at him startled, she hadn't been expecting that question. "I haven't lived there in over three years. It is hard to call it home. This camp is more of a home than that place is."

Terry accepted that explanation with a nod and then hesitantly asked, "Is there someone here that makes you think that this is more home?"

She looked over at him and saw that he was looking out into the woods, as if he didn't want to see the reaction on her face.

Just as hesitate as he was she answered, "I think there might be, I haven't quite figured out my feelings yet though." She could see a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips.

The silence pulled at them for another long moment before Terry finally broke it. "Cas…" He caught himself and murmured, "I wish that I could call you by your real name." he sighed, "I wish you didn't have to go tomorrow." Seeing her protests he held up his hand, "I know, I know. You're going and you have to do it. That doesn't change the fact that I wish you didn't have to do this." He hung his head the very image of a defeated man.

She slung her arm around his shoulder in an attempt to console him. He relaxed in her hold. She murmured in his ear, "Just think of it like this, in about five days we won't be hiding or be afraid that the Mad King is coming to get us." She paused for a moment, in that silence Terry wrapped his arms around, and pulled her into his lap.

Cassandra was startled by this but found herself relaxing anyways. She laid her head on his shoulder and felt his contented sigh.

"I would like that." Terry remearked his head on hers, "I would like more time to give us a chance, if you will permit, when this is all over."

"I would like that a lot." Cassandra answered.

A comfortable silence fell over them. Cassandra found herself falling asleep to the sound of Terry's calm breathing and heart beating.

Cassandra woke up to birds chirping, she stretched and opened her eyes finding herself in her own bed, by herself. She felt an unexplainable twang in her heart which she quickly tried to push away. She needed to get ready to leave. John was going to accompany her as long as her could, before she was captured. She knew Patrick was already in Town- beginning to smuggle people in. Abram because of his wound was forced to stay in camp. Max, Tobias, and Terry had to wait to be the last smuggled in in case their plot was discovered.

Within the hour, Cassandra and John were mounted on their horses ready to go. She looked around the small crowd gathered looking for Terry. She smiled and waved when she finally found his face in the back.

Terry smiled shakily back, his eyes were sad and his face pale. She knew how hard it was for him to let her go and held up five fingers and mouthed "five days" to him, she then brought her hand to her mouth and impulsively blew a kiss to him.

He smiled broader, nodded, held up five fingers as well and then blew a kiss back. Cassandra was smiling as she turned her horse to find John grinning so big that it should crack his face and then remembered that they had a bigger audience than just John. She felt her face go instantly hot and she quickly kicked her horse into movement and moved out of sight. She knew John was following her and as soon as he caught up, she was going to get the bulk of his humor. So Cassandra kept her horse in front of his until they had cleared the woods, where he finally caught up to her.

"That was an interesting farewell." John asked calmly.

"Really." She remarked just as calm, "I hadn't noticed."

"It was very interesting for me, at least. It is not very often that I get to see you two acting like that."

"Really, John?" She answered, she had thought of different answers during their ride, "You must really get out of camp more. I fear you are getting sheltered."

John laughed, "You are getting so much better at countering me! I will have to get more creative."

That caused her to laugh. They rode in companionable silence until they reached the small village, Denner. "Do you know who in this village is going to invoke the name spell." Cassandra asked quietly.

John nodded serious, "Yes, a friend of Patrick's. An old guard that should be fine when the guard gets here to investigate."

They rode right through the village and she saw john nod to somebody before they had moved out of the village. They traveled out of sight of the village and then kicked their horses into a trot. The plan counted them being at least a day away from this village before the Guard reached it.

The next four days was filled with riding. They had to be in certain spots at certain times for their merry little goose chase. The final destination was her Father's home. It was a day away from the castle. They made it there in the early morning and it was John who said her name invoking the spell. He then stayed outside as she went to say hello to her father for the first time in three years.

Her father was surprised to see her. "Why are you here?" he asked, "You will be captured if you star here."

"No, I was very careful about coming. Nobody knows that I am here. But I had to see you, Father." Cassandra said as she went to hug him.

"No, you have to leave." He said urgently, "You don't understand." He paused and looked at the door that led to the main parlor, "the King is _here_."

He had barely spoken those words when the King followed by three guards walked through the door that they had just looked at.

"Ah, Lord Pos was very wise in saying that we should wait for you here, after the name spell caught so much activity a few days ago." The King said as he walked knowingly up to Cassandra.

She forced herself to stand her ground and look him in the eyes, "It is definitely a surprise to see you here, My King. I was hoping to avoid you, I hope you know." She flicked a glance at her father when he moaned unhappily. She saw the King do the same thing and she took the advantage to turn and run for the door, knowing that she wouldn't even make it half-way before she was caught, but she had to keep up the appearance that she didn't want to get caught.

She hadn't taken more than five steps when she tackled to the ground by one of the King's guards. Cassandra struggled uselessly in the guards strong grip as he pulled her up from the ground. It took only seconds for her hands to be tied behind her back. Cassandra looked up angrily at the King to find his face full of satisfaction while her father's face behind him was full of despair. She felt a twinge of guilt as she realized that her father had no clue of her plans.

"Why are you taking such an effort to capture me?" She demanded of the King, "It is not like I can do anything against you."

The King smiled wickedly, "Oh, I know you can't do anything against me, I was pursuing you out of revenge. Nobody escapes me. Nobody." His eyes were filled with hate as he said it.

Cassandra couldn't keep herself from shivering, her thoughts scattered as she tried to place what to say next. She was spared from that by the King saying, "We should leave for the castle immediately I am sure that Lord Pos is anxious to see you."

Panic swept through Cassandra, if they left today and not tomorrow for the castle they were going to be a day ahead of the Plan. What was she going to do?

* * *

Author's note- What is Cassandra going to do? Thanks to Backroads and Duchess for reviewing you two are awesome!


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Cassandra looked over at her father and saw his stricken look, she looked back over at the King and demanded that she be able to talk with her father alone. The King and Cassandra traded icy glares for several long breaths before the King said, "I will allow you to talk to your father in that corner over there, but beyond that you are not to leave the sight of the guard." He gestured at one of the far corners.

Cassandra quenched a shock of hope and looked over at him, replying, "Your lovely guards will not come any closer, I don't want them to hear what I have to say."

The King nodded his head with a smirk on his face, "No, they will stay over here. It is not like you can go anywhere."

As she walked over to the corner with her father, he hissed at her, "What is going on? If I didn't know you any better I would swear that you have something half-witted on your mind."

She glanced over at the guards and the King and whispered back, "It is better for you not to know what is going on right now, that way they can't force you to tell them anything. Just know that everything is going to work out." She leaned against the wall where a large tapestry was hanging and saw the comprehension in her father's eyes. "Don't try to stop them, and don't worry it will all work out." She murmured as she slipped behind the tapestry and disappeared into a servant's hall.

Cassandra immediately heard the cry of alarm come behind her as she ran quickly down the hall. She wasn't exactly sure where this hall would leave her, when she was younger she didn't care where they had led. A sharp turn to her right led her straight into the kitchen. She paused for a moment looking at the surprised faces of the kitchen workers. She remembered that there was a closet for the flour to the right from her few trips to the kitchen. Cassandra ran that way and realized that she couldn't open the door because her hands were still tied behind her back. Looking around panicked she tried to find another place to hid when the headwoman opened the door and shoved her in, closing the door behind her.

Cassandra found herself face down in a sack of flour but she didn't dare move as she strained to hear what was happening on the other side of the door. She heard shouts that she assumed were the guards demanding to know where she went and heard some mumbling as the answer. She held her breathe as she envisioned the door being jerked opened and being found. The weird thing is she needed to be found in order for the plan to work, she just needed to find a way not to be found until it was too late to leave for the castle today. A few hours, that is all she needed, she bit her lip hoping that she could pull it off.

After the racket of the kitchen had returned to normal, Cassandra dropped herself into a sitting position leaning as comfortably as her tied hands would allow her against the wall. She thought about the woman who had shoved her into the flour. She didn't even know if she could remember the woman's name, she had avoided the servants that much when she lived there. She could see how easily it could have been Red Sal in that kitchen and Cassandra would have never even talked to her. Cassandra was then glad that she had the opportunity to make friends in the camp to show her how wrong she had been.

After what seemed to be hours the door finally opened again and the same woman came in and brought out a knife that she used to cut the ropes on Cassandra's hands. She handed her a small packet and brought her finger to her lips when she saw Cassandra opening her mouth to ask a question. She then grabbed a cup of flour and was out the door.

Sighing with frustration, Cassandra opened the packet and was glad to find a sandwich and an apple. She munched on her lunch as she thought of what to do next, she did need to be captured, again… but how could she know when she should move out of her hiding spot. She needed to delay the King leaving until tomorrow.

Next thing she knew she was jerked out of sleep, she must have dozed off from sheer boredom still in a nearly dark flour closet. She listened and couldn't hear anything, what had woken her up? Then it came to her that it was the silence that had woken her up. The guards must be searching the kitchen. They will definitely find her if they did that, but it needed to happen sooner or later, so she prepared be ready to dart out of the closet as soon as it opened, in another attempt to fool them that she didn't really want to be caught.

She saw a shadow come in front of the crack in the door and got ready, it opened slowly and a hand snaked in grabbing hers before she even had a chance to take a breath. She fought the big hands grip as it pulled her out of the closet. And again for the second time that day she found herself with her hands tied behind her back and with a guard stiffly holding her shoulders so she couldn't run away. She looked around and gave a smile and a wink to the woman who had helped her. The woman nodded her head and then melted in the background. She was confused wondering if the woman didn't already know her plan to get recaptured. She was forced out of her musing when she was slapped across the face so hard that she saw stars. Sagging into the guard's hold she blinked rapidly to force the water from her eyes she tried to focus on the king in front of her.

Immediately she could tell he was mad, his red face and glare told her that. When he raised his hand to slap her again, she recoiled out of instinct. He smirked at her reaction and told the guards to bring her to the carriages. Cassandra numbly let the guards lead her as she tried to regain her bleary vision. Outside she could tell that is was early afternoon, so why were they going to the carriages? There was no way they could reach the castle today, even if they left now it would be after midnight before they arrived.

She watched as the King stepped into a large lavish carriage before she was shoved into a carriage used to transport criminals. The inside was not meant for comfort, she sat on the hard wooden bench and tried to make herself comfortable. A stern face guard sat across from her. Settling back she prepared herself for the long bumpy road ahead.

When she was pulled out of the carriage, Cassandra had no clue what time it was, though her burning eyes and aching head told her it was past midnight. Cassandra let herself be led indoors and down stairs trying not to trip, too tired at the moment to care where they were going, she only recognized where she was when she was pushed into the same cell that she had been in, last time she had been imprisoned by the King. Before the guard closed the door her hands were untied. She massaged her complaining wrists as she walked over to the bed where she fell into a light sleep.

When the King's carriage followed by Cassandra's carriage came into the castle grounds at three in the morning the rebels were sent into a frenzy of movement. While they had almost everybody smuggled in and hiding inside the castle, they were planning on another day before they were to act. Those in the castle met inside of Sam Cont's rooms, (after they had woken him up.)

"What should we do?" a maid called Lizzy asked.

"We just move sooner." Patrick said, "We are almost ready, if we move carefully we should be able to act by the afternoon." He smiled at the panicked maid, "Don't worry, she will be fine."

Patrick looked over at Sam and asked, "Will we still be able to get in the last group?"

Looking thoughtful, Sam nodded, "I believe so. They will have to come in at the same time, which is after lunch."

"Let's go, then. The time to end this mess is here." Patrick said simply before standing up to leave.

It was mid-morning when Cassandra was woken up by the guard opening the door. "The king is requesting your presence, My Lady." He said respectfully.

She nodded her head as she quickly finger combed her hair and put it back into a braid. "What kind of mood is he in this morning?"

The guard grimaced, but didn't say anything.

"I will take that as a bad sign." Cassandra commented as she stood up.

"Your hands, My Lady." He asked his eyes showing sympathy.

"Oh… of course." She held out her hands and he expertly tied them. She wondered if he was one of the guards that Marisa had recruited. He was being very nice to her.

When Cassandra walked into the throne room she was surprised to see just the King sitting on the throne, Lord Pos wasn't in the room with him.

Halfway across the floor to the throne she stopped and waited for the King to make his move. Near as she could tell it was now almost lunch time, she needed to distract the King for as long as she could to give her friends as much time as she could to make this work. Cassandra saw that her guard had stopped at the door.

"You summoned me, My King?" Cassandra said in her full court drawl.

"Ah, even when you are a prisoner, you can even act like a queen." The King mocked her as he stood up. "I hope you realize how much I have been waiting for this day, how I have been waiting for you to be in front of me again. You, my dear, are hard to get out of my mind." He said this as he walked forward until he was just in front of her.

The King lifted up his hand and caressed her face. Cassandra jerked back and ordered as calmly as she could, "You will keep your hands off of me."

"Or what? You will have me arrested? I believe you need to remember who is the King and who is the prisoner here." He said as he lifted his hand and slapped her across the face.

Cassandra looked up at him coldly and stopped herself from saying anything before looking away. She could see out of the corner of her eye, The King leered at her and reached out to grab her arm. Cassandra looked over at him as he pulled her closer to him. "You excite me." He whispered in her ear, "I will give you a choice. Choose me, or choose the death that awaits you as a traitor."

Her eyes widened in surprise as she tried to jerk her arm out of his cold grasp. "Nev…." Was all she got out before his mouth was on hers and her body being smashed against his by his arm around her waist. Cassandra blinked as she tried to force her stunned mind to work. She couldn't use her arms they were tied and sandwiched uncomfortably in-between her and the disgusting King, so she lifted up her foot and kicked him as hard as she could in the shin. She felt him jerk back in surprise and then the next moment she found herself on the floor, looking up at a very angry King.

"How dare you!" he shouted down at her, as he shook at his leg. "You would really choose death over me?" He asked in a lower voice, staring at her in an angry confusion.

Cassandra didn't trust her voice so she simply nodded, She was beginning to see the flaw in her plan, the one Terry saw so well. She was all alone with a maniac and she didn't know what he would do.

* * *

Author's note- I'll just leave it there, funny enough I have had this chapter except for the last page which I just added, done for about a month, it has just been sitting on my computer waiting for me to compete it. Please tell me what you think!


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Cassandra found herself looking up terrified at the King. She tried to force her mind to think of her next action but it kept coming up a blank. All she saw was a furious King looking down at her, and he began to smile cunningly. Now her mind refused to think, Cassandra began to fear that he would kill her right there and then. She saw her vision begin to close in on her and she gave into the darkness.

The King watched dumbfounded as she fainted away. He went and kicked her once in an attempt to wake her, when she didn't respond, he kicked her again. As he drew his leg back for a third time, Lord Pos came into the room and asked him what he was doing.

The King quickly explained that he was trying to get Cassandra to reveal the location of the rebel's camp when she fainted away and he was merely trying to wake her back up.

Lord Pos sent the King a disbelieving look and said, "It is lunchtime. I recommend that we go eat while we wait for Cassandra to wake up."

The King looked up surprised at Lord Pos and then nodded, "Yes, It would be boring to wait around for her to wait up. Let's go get lunch." He turned around and commanded to the guard at the door, "Watch her, when she wakes up come and get us." The King then followed Lord Pos out the room.

As soon as they were out of the room and guard hurried over to Cassandra. He knelt down and gently shook her shoulder. She moaned and slowly opened her eyes, the guard smiled and whispered, "Act like you are still out. I just wanted to make sure that you are alright."

"I am alright. Where did the King go?" Cassandra whispered.

"Lord Pos took him to go eat lunch." The guard scoffed.

Cassandra laughed silently, before asking, "What is the time frame?"

"The second bell is the cue, which is in less than two hours. Hopefully if we prolong this lunch break we can keep you out of his sight for as long as possible." The guard finished with a soft pat on her shoulder.

She smiled and nodded, closing her eyes to complete the façade of her still in a faint. She heard the guard back up until he was standing at the door again.

Laying there with her eyes closed trying to stay as still as she could, Cassandra again came to the conclusion that it was boring to wait and it seemed she was doing a lot of waiting lately. She wanted this done and over. She also came to the realization that her body ached, it ached from the long carriage ride, and from sleeping in the cell last night, it hurt from her last encounter with the King and she had nothing to distract her from it. As she tried to think of other things her lack of sleep from the night before caught up to her and she fell into a light sleep.

Cassandra was momentarily awakened by the first bell sounding before she drifted off to sleep again. The next thing she knew she heard the King's voice loudly demanding, "Isn't she awake yet?"

Next came Lord Pos's voice snidely saying, "I don't believe so, she still on the floor."

"Guard! Wake her up and then leave us." Was the King's reply.

Cassandra heard footsteps as the guard approached her, she knew that the guard, while on her side, couldn't gently shake her shoulder as he had done the last time. She steeled herself for a kick, which was only a sharp nudge. "Wake up, Lady Cassandra." The guard said gruffly.

Giving an audible groan, Cassandra rolled over and blinking rapidly opened her eyes. Looking around she slowly sat up as if she just woken up. The guard grabbed her arm and hauled her up to a standing position and then with a panicked look in his eye, turned around and left as he was ordered to.

Wondering how much time had actually passed while she had been asleep, Cassandra squared her shoulders and faced the two men who were walking towards her.

"Now Lady Cassandra," Lord Pos started with his oily voice. "We need to know where the location of the Rebel camp is. Tell us where it is."

Cassandra looked at him coldly and replied, "I can't tell you, because I don't know where it is."

"You are lying to us." The King spat out, "Tell us were the camp is."

"I can't tell you. I don't know where it is." She stated again.

With anger written all over his face, the King stepped up to her threatingly, "Yes, you do. After all the trouble that the rebels went to, to free you and to keep you hidden, you are definitely part of their group."

Calmly she answered, "The rebels only freed me because they knew it would anger you. I have had no part of the rebels and I don't know where the camp is."

The King narrowed his eyes, and turned to Lord Pos, "Remember the bet I made you before I left to go pick up Lady Cassandra."

Pos nodded and filled in, "You mean the bet where I said that she would tell us what we wanted to know without us using any means to extract that information and you said that we would have to convince her to tell us."

"Yes, that is the one, Old friend. I believe that I going to win that bet." The King said smugly.

"Let me try one more time, My King." Lord Pos said politely as he turned to Cassandra. "Will you let me win the bet and tell us where the rebel camp is located? Or do we have to do it the King's way?"

Cassandra's heart dropped when she heard that, she couldn't tell them anything on the slim chance that this plan of hers didn't work. So she forced herself to take a deep breath and say, "I cannot tell you what I do not know, no matter how nicely you ask."

With a long sigh, Lord Pos answered, "Very well, I believe that you win the bet, My King. How do you wish to proceed?"

The King paused and thought for a second, "The usual way, we can get more creative along the way, if that doesn't work."

"Yes, My King." Lord Pos answered as he put a hand into his cloak and pulled out a small charm.

Cassandra's mind flew through any possibilities that she might use to distract them until the second bell… whenever that was. "Wait…Wait… Think about it for a moment, Even if you use your alternate methods, if I don't know anything, I can't tell you anything. There is a bit of logic in that. Think about it." Cassandra rambled on as she backed up a couple of steps closer to the throne.

Lord Pos chuckled for a moment and then stretched forth his hand touching her shoulder, and mumbled a word. Cassandra felt a jolt of pain run through her body from her shoulder, stopping only when he drew back his hand. Cassandra looked bleary eyed at his hand and noticed that it held the charm.

"The problem with your logic is we won't be able to have any fun along the way, so we reject it." Lord Pos simple said.

"Now will you tell us where the location of the camp is?" The King said sweetly, grinning from ear to ear.

"I don't know.." Is all she got out before Lord Pos touched her shoulder again, sending the pain jolting through her again. She stepped out of his grasp, gasping as she tried to stand straight again.

"You may escape for a moment but you will not escape completely until you tell us where the camp is." The King merrily said.

Cassandra gave him a bitter smile, "You will have me killed once I tell, so what is the point?"

The King shrugged and commented, "The point is this is part of my revenge against you for escaping, now are you going to tell us where the camp is?"

"No." Cassandra stated simply.

"Fine, more fun for us then." Lord Pos said as he came from behind and caught both of her shoulders in his hands. Pain coursed through her as she tried to escape his grasp again. The pain caused her to hear wind rushing through her ears, so she was surprised when Lord Pos suddenly let go of his grasp causing her to fall to the ground.

She laid there on the ground with her eyes closed willing the remnants of the pain to go away. By the time the rushing wind in her ears had faded enough for her to hear voices speaking back and forth she was ready to open her eyes and sit up again.

Cassandra was not prepared for the sight she saw when she opened her eyes. The throne room was half filled with people. It looked like most of the nobles and their servants were in the room all looking at the three of them who stood by the throne. Sam was in the front talking to Lord Pos about how they were there to talk about some kind of injustice that was needed to be fixed.

She looked dumbly at the crowd for a long moment before she realized that the plan was in action. The second bell must have rung and she didn't hear it. She forced herself to pay attention to the conversation that was taking place.

"…This needs to be fixed." Sam was saying.

"What do you suggest we do, Duke Cont?" Pos said in a condescending voice.

"First off you need to notice what your actions are doing to the kingdom." Sam said.

"I don't see anything wrong with what we have been doing," Pos started, "We have been trying to rid the country of rebels."

"If you don't see that what you are doing is wrong then we need to find somebody who does." Sam threatened.

"Are you saying that you are going to dethrone me?" The King said laughing. "And replace me with who? My son? He is missing, taken by rebels. Are you going to replace me?"

"I am." Said a loud voice from the middle of the crowd. Everybody turned to find the voice that spoke. Cassandra saw Terry standing there, tall and commanding, not at least the bit worried that he was standing in front of a large crowd of nobles in the same simple clothes that she last saw him in.

The King stared at Terry before saying in a fake concerned voice, "My son! My son has returned to me from the gates of death from rebels hands."

Terry lust looked at him with utter disbelief and said, "You expect me to believe that when it was you who arranged for me to be on the supply train when they hit it, so I would be killed."

The King looked at him surprised before asking in an insincere voice, "Why would any father want to have their only child killed?"

"So I wouldn't have any possibility of taking away the throne." Terry stated matter-of-factly.

The King stood there for a long moment before saying, "What are you going to do now? You are all here and my guard is waiting just outside this door." He pointed to the door behind him before continuing, "What are you planning on doing?"

"I was hoping that you would just surrender and we wouldn't have to drag this out any longer than necessary." Terry said.

"There is no way I would just surrender the throne to the likes of you." The King spat as he gestured Lord Pos to open the door.

Terry shrugged, "I did come prepared, in the event that you might not surrender so don't think that this will be easy for you, _Father_." He said as he drew his sword out of the scabbard and the rest of the crowd followed suit.

The King went to the throne and pulled out the royal sword that always hung there and stepped out onto the floor as the guards Lord Pos let in can to stand a step behind him. Cassandra scooted herself back out of the guards way and stood by the throne. She couldn't believe her eyes which in a way surprised her, she after all had planned this. Just seeing it happen was almost surreal. She watched as Terry and the King squared off and began swinging their swords at each other. The guards started to attack those in the hall. She wished that she could help some way but her hands were still tied and she couldn't fight with a sword.

A figure darted toward her, a long object in their hand. She tried to jump back from them but her body protested and she found herself falling to her hands and knees.

"Lady… Lady, are you alright?" a worried voice asked.

Cassandra looked up into the worried eyes of Tobias. "What are you doing here, Tobias?" She asked surprised.

"I came to help you." He motioned for her to hold out her hands, "I have orders from Archer." He continued as he cut her hands free. "He told me to tell you, to take this bow and quiver and head for the balcony and see if you can help from there." He pushed the long object into her hands, she looked down and saw her bow with a full quiver of arrows.

"Thank you, Tobias. Now what are you going to do?" She asked as he got up, as far as she knew he couldn't wield a sword.

"My next task is to head outside and make sure everything is going to plan out there. Good Luck Lady." He finished with a bow before darting out the door the guards just came through.

Cassandra picked up her bow and made her way to the stairs in the wall behind the throne. Climbing the stairs made her body protest but she forced herself on. When she got up there, she uncoiled the bowstring and strung the bow. Lifting an arrow to the bow she looked at the jumbled mess to pick her first target. She watched the moving forces below unsure who to hit first, when she saw Lord Pos going up to her people and using that same painful charm on them as another guard took care of them. Narrowing her eyes, Cassandra brought up her bow and carefully aimed. The arrow took flight a moment later and she saw Lord Pos go down with an arrow in his shoulder. Her next target was the guard that was helping him. She had emptied half her quiver when she noticed that this battle was over. The remaining King's guards were surrendering. She looked around wondering what happened with Terry and the King.

Finally after looking frantically around she saw the back of Terry's head through the crowd. She hobbled down the stairs as fast as she could in an attempt to get to him.

* * *

Author's note- I need to stop there, this chapter is long enough. Thanks to Backroads and Duchess for reviewing, You two are AWESOME! There is only one maybe two chapters left before this story is completed. Thanks to all those who have read this far!


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Finally after looking frantically around she saw the back of Terry's head through the crowd. She hobbled down the stairs as fast as she could in an attempt to get to him.

Cassandra reached the main floor and started to weave through the crowd, which proved to be more difficult that she originally thought because everybody wanted to stopped and talk with her. Phrases of 'not now', 'where's Terry?' and plain ignoring finally brought her out of the crowd to the corner where she had last seen Terry.

He wasn't there.

Looking around she saw the King lying on the ground with a glassy look in his eye. She shivered as she backed away from the sight, she turned and started to walk away when a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her behind one of the curtains. Yelping in surprise Cassandra found herself encased in a fierce hug. "I thought that I had lost you." Terry murmured in her ear.

She smiled and hugged him back. "What about me? I didn't know how that duel with the King had gone."

His grip around her tightened before he spoke, "I killed him."

"I know I saw." Cassandra murmured back.

They stood holding each other for a long moment before Terry finally loosened his hold and held her out where he could see her face, "How are you?" One hand carefully brushed across her cheek where a bruise had formed.

"I am a little worse for wear, but I will be alright." Cassandra said with a smile.

"When we walked into the room and I saw Lord Pos doing that magic on you, I was ready to burst. John had to hold me back. He kept telling me to stick to the plan and all I wanted to do was to take Pos's head off." Terry said with a crack in his voice.

"Sorry. If it makes you feel better, your timing was great, they hadn't been at it for very long when you showed up." Cassandra told him with a smile.

Terry made a face, "That is because we moved sooner than we should have. Ryan, the guard that was with you earlier, came to us in a panic saying that we had to hurry because they were going to question you."

"Ryan, is that his name? I never got a chance to ask him." Cassandra said quietly. "You must remind me to thank him for all that he did when I see him next."

Terry smiled and leaned closer, "Do I get any thanks? Because I believe I deserve a big thank you from you."

Smiling Cassandra closed the distance between them, wrapping her hands behind his neck bringing his mouth down to met hers.

"Terry! Lady Cassandra!" A familiar loud voice made them jump, separating them. John called again, "Terry! Lady Cassandra! Where did the two of you disappear too?"

"Remind me that I need to give John a knock in the head next time I am alone with him." Terry whispered in her ear, before peeking out from behind the curtain. "Hurry he is looking the other way."

Giggling Cassandra followed him, when they were out Terry offered her his arm with a gracious bow. "My Lady."

"It would be my pleasure, My Prince." She said with her most gracious court voice, "Although it soon will be My King, won't it?"

"Don't remind me." Terry whispered as he led her over to where John was still bellowing their names.

"You called my Faithful Commander." Terry said mockingly when John saw them.

John's only reply was to give a face splitting grin and a clumsy bow.

"This won't do, John." Terry continued, "If you are going to stay at court and be an advisor, you really need to work on your bowing."

This only caused John to laugh as he fell into step with the two of them. "We have reports from the city. Patrick and his group did well and are cleaning up. Not many casualties, many of the guard in the city were ready to turn against the Old King. Unlike in the castle, here is where the Old King kept his most loyal dogs. We have I believe found all of them, they are either dead or on their way to the prison cells, to await your judgment."

Terry made a face, "I am not going to like that. Please continue John."

"Most of the nobles would like talk at you, to affirm their devotion to the new king. What should I tell them? That now is a wonderful time, or another time would be better?" John said with a grin.

"You are enjoying this a little too much, John." Cassandra remarked, "Tell the nobles that will have to wait until we make sure that the immediate danger has passed."

"A pretty answer, My Lady." John nodded before walking away.

Terry led Cassandra around the room to where the healer had set-up his clinic. When Cassandra saw where he was going, she tried to protest saying she was fine.

"No, I would feel much better if he looks at you. Most likely he will just order you to bed to get some sleep. But he still needs to look at you." Terry insisted.

Cassandra finally relented and allowed the healer to look her over, and he gave her the recommendation that Terry had thought he would. Cassandra with the thought of a comfortable bed and a good uninterrupted sleep was ready to take his advice. The days events were beginning to catch up on her.

Terry then led her out of the throne room, neatly telling everyone not now, and dismissing them. "I believe the maids have cleared out your old rooms for you."

"I have to say that I loved that bed." Cassandra commented as they walked down the hall. "That was one of the things that made working with the Old King bearable."

That caused Terry to laugh, "I am glad that you like it that much. Well here you are. Get some sleep, please."

Cassandra chuckled at his request and said, "I will." Before she went through the doors into her old room she went on her tip-toes and gave Terry a peck on the cheek. His hand caught her waist and pulled her in for a much longer kiss. "Sleep my love." He hoarsely whispered into her ear when they finally pulled apart, "for tomorrow is going to be a long day."

"Remember to take your own advice." She stated back as she slipped through the doors and closed them.

Cassandra looked around the room in wonder. They were the same as when she left. She was knocked out of her thoughts by the sound of water in the next room. Curious she walked in and found two maids filling up the tub. Cassandra smiled at them and asked, "How did you know that I would need a bath?"

One of the maids said, "We saw you in the throne room and knew that you would want one before would go to sleep."

She thanked them sincerely for their forethought before she dismissed them to make sure the bed was ready. They tried to stay and help but she was adamant in her decision and sent them off. When they were gone, Cassandra gingerly took off her clothes and stood in front of the mirror and whistled at the bruises that were already appearing on her side from the King's kicking earlier. There were also marks on her shoulders from the charm Lord Pos had used. These would be very good things to keep hidden from the maids in case they felt the need to tell Terry. After that Cassandra very happily slide into the bath and then into bed.

The next week was busy, Terry and Cassandra had to sort through paperwork, and testimonies. Assigning new staff to replace the old corrupt one. John was made the new head advisor, Abram was the new agriculture advisor, Tobias was made the advisor over the scholars, Max turned down the opportunity to be the palace security advisor turning the job over to Captain Wade, a loyal guard from the city.

"Where's Patrick?" Terry asked the day after the battle.

John just shrugged, "I haven't seen him."

"Is he hiding in town? Because I want to see him. Go find him and tell him that." Terry commanded.

John nodded and walked out in search of Patrick.

When John returned he had Patrick walking to the side of him. Patrick walked up to Terry and gave a graceful bow. Terry smiled and commented, "Maybe I should make you my chief advisor, you bow much better than John does."

Patrick laughed at the joke before asking, "You asked for me?"

"I did Patrick. I want you to head a project that I would like to start. Are you up for it?" Terry asked.

Looking at him suspiciously, Patrick cautiously said, "I was planning to return to the job I had before this lovely diversion came along."

"Return to being a thief and a smuggler? Why would you want to do that, my friend?" Terry asked him.

Smiling crookedly Patrick responded, "You found out what I did?"

"You gave me enough hints." Terry flatly said.

"Considering that I am usually on the other side of the law, are you sure that you want me working for you?" Patrick asked.

"Patrick, you have saved my life several times, and I think you will like the project that I have for you. You will find it a challenge." Terry said secretly.

"You are not going to ask me to turn in my colleagues, are you?" Patrick asked suspiciously.

"No, I wouldn't put you in that position, besides you're going to need them." Terry said off-handily.

Narrowing his eyes in puzzlement, Patrick couldn't resist asking, "Why am I going to need them?"

Terry smiled, "Are you interested? Will you help me?"

"I am in. Besides if I am not about who will keep you out of trouble." Patrick said with a gleam in his eye.

"Keep Terry out of trouble? I thought that was my job." Cassandra said as she entered the room. When both men looked at her, she added, "Sorry, I overhead that last part and felt like I needed to set you straight, Patrick." She gave the man a hug and remarked that he was looking good.

"Ah, Lady Cassandra. I am afraid that you have that backwards." Patrick smiled as raised one of his eyebrows at her.

"Backwards? How so?" She asked.

"You are usually the cause for the trouble, so I have to keep you both out of trouble." Patrick said with a straight face.

Cassandra stuck her tongue out at Patrick before saying, "I guess than I shall have to prove you wrong and get in no more trouble." She said in her primmest voice.

That caused both men to burst into laughter.

Three weeks after that they held the coronation for Terry to become King.

At the dance after, Terry finally managed to get a dance with Cassandra. "I hope finding time alone with you, won't be as hard as it has been the last week or so. Especially since I announced that our engagement at the coronation. I am hoping that people don't feel like we need chaperones." Terry looked down with a look that said 'I love you'.

Cassandra smiled with the same look on her face, "Make sure you don't mention that fact to John or he will do it just to annoy you."

"Ah, yes. I will make sure to do that." Terry remarked not taking his eyes off of her.

"It will be a while before we can actually have the wedding," Cassandra commented. "We need to pull this country out of the hole that stupid man put it into."

"Yes, we have a lot of work ahead of us. Are you ready for it, My Queen?" Terry asked while pulling her close.

"With you, I am ready for anything, My King." Cassandra answered back.

* * *

The end.

Author's note- I mentioned in one of my other stories that I hate writing the ending most of all. I hoped you like it. Thanks for reading and please review.

Keep your eyes out for my next story, it is going to be a re-telling of beauty and beast…. Sort-of…


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